Cryptologic Bytes

"On This Date in History" Calendar

1943: First WAC personnel arrived at Arlington Hall Station.

Sunday, July 16, 2023

16 July 1943: The first Women's Army Corps (WAC) personnel arrived at Arlington Hall Station to serve as cryptanalysts, traffic analysts, and clerk-typists.

Although small detachments of WACs served at the SSA's (Signal Security Agency) two "listening posts" at Vint Hill Farms, Virginia, and Two Rock Ranch, California, primarily as radio intercept operators - the largest of the SSA's WAC contingent served at Arlington Hall Station as cryptanalysts, traffic analysts, and clerk-typists. WACs at the two "listening posts" spent their days copying Morse transmissions and transcribing intercepts from both the German and Japanese armies. Intercepts of interest were sent to Arlington Hall Station where WACs processed and evaluated nearly 4,000 intercepted messages daily.

At the end of the war, the WAC detachments were disbanded, although some women were reassigned with US occupational forces overseas. The Army's SIGINT field closed to women until 1971, when the SSA's successor, the Army Security Agency, was granted authority to enlist women.

VISIT THE ARCHIVES

Check out the Cryptologic Bytes Archives for a wide variety of articles on all topics related to cryptology, codes and ciphers, related publications, Museums, and more.