Cryptologic Dates in History Calendar

"On This Date in Cryptologic History" Calendar

Learn about a wide variety of historical events related to cryptology, computers, math, cybersecurity, Intelligence, and more.

May 2026

This Month

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26	27	28	29	Apr 30	May 1	2
					1960: U-2 Recon Plane Shot Down	1908: American cryptologic pioneer Frank Rowlett was born.
					1991: President George H. W. Bush Visited NSA
					May 1991: Travis Trophy Presentation
					1943: GC & CS activated Heath Robinson Machine (predecessor to Colossus).

3	4	5	6	7	8	9
1917: Col. Ralph H. Van Deman becomes military intelligence chief	1942: 29 Navajos Reported to Fort Defiance, AZ			1942: First SIGINTers arrive in Australia	1985: LTG William Odom, USA, became DIRNSA.
	1961: President Kennedy creates President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board				1945: VE Day
	1942: Battle of Coral Sea began.

10	11	12	13	14	15	16
1933: U.S. Senate debates Information Security as government responsibility.		1900: Naval cryptologist Joseph Rochefort was born.	1930: First Japanese linguist, John Hurt, hired by SIS.		1973: Search for government-wide data encryption standard begins.	1973: Laurance Safford, father of naval cryptology, died.
1927: Elizebeth Friedman - cryptanalyst with Bureau of Prohibition		1975: Cambodian communists captured SS Mayaguez.	1961: Third Radio Research Unit began Army Security Agency service in South Vietnam.		1942: Creation of Women's Army Corps (WAC).

17	18	19	20	21	22	23
1987: Iraqi aircraft fired Exocet missiles at USS Stark.		1919: DoS approved creation of Cipher Bureau "Black Chamber."	1949: Armed Forces Security Agency created.	1917: William Friedman & Elizebeth Smith married.	1881: Death of Friedrich Wilhelm Kasiski	1975: National Security Council Seeks Secure Voice Network
1965: System Development Corp hosts widescale computer security discussion.			1985: Retired CWO John Walker was arrested for spying.	1940: FDR authorized wiretapping to watch German agents.	1992: VADM Michael McConnell, USN, became DIRNSA.
1985: Electronic Security Command took over USAF COMSEC mission.				1975: William F. Friedman Auditorium dedicated at NSA.
				2010: US Cyber Command established.

24	25	26	27	28	29	30
1844: First telegraph message was sent.	1894: Brigadier John H. Tiltman, only foreign citizen in Cryptologic Hall of Honor was born in London.	1972: SALT Treaty signed.	1962: ASA carried out first Airborne Platform Mission in Vietnam.	1988: German police broke up the "Hannover Hackers."	1885: Cryptologic pioneer Genevieve Young Hitt was born.
			Memorial Day Remembrance		2001: al-Qaida member convicted of terrorism in embassy bombings.

May 31	Jun 1	2	3	4	5	6
1933: Rumrunning trial began with case built upon Elizabeth Friedman's cryptanalysis.

1908: American cryptologic pioneer Frank Rowlett was born.

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1917: Col. Ralph H. Van Deman becomes military intelligence chief

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1942: First SIGINTers arrive in Australia

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1933: U.S. Senate debates Information Security as government responsibility.

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1927: Elizebeth Friedman - cryptanalyst with Bureau of Prohibition

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1973: Laurance Safford, father of naval cryptology, died.

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1919: DoS approved creation of Cipher Bureau "Black Chamber."

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1975: National Security Council Seeks Secure Voice Network

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1844: First telegraph message was sent.

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1894: Brigadier John H. Tiltman, only foreign citizen in Cryptologic Hall of Honor was born in London.

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1972: SALT Treaty signed.

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1988: German police broke up the "Hannover Hackers."

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1933: Rumrunning trial began with case built upon Elizabeth Friedman's cryptanalysis.

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