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 2025

This Month

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27	28	29	Apr 30	May 1	2	3
				1991: President George H. W. Bush Visited NSA	1908: American cryptologic pioneer Frank Rowlett was born.	1917: Col. Ralph H. Van Deman becomes military intelligence chief
				May 1991: Travis Trophy Presentation
				1960: U-2 Recon Plane Shot Down
				1943: GC & CS activated Heath Robinson Machine (predecessor to Colossus).

4	5	6	7	8	9	10
1961: President Kennedy creates President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board			1942: First SIGINTers arrive in Australia	1985: LTG William Odom, USA, became DIRNSA.		1933: U.S. Senate debates Information Security as government responsibility.
1942: Battle of Coral Sea began.				1945: VE Day		1927: Elizebeth Friedman - cryptanalyst with Bureau of Prohibition
1942: 29 Navajos Reported to Fort Defiance, AZ

11	12	13	14	15	16	17
	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.	1987: Iraqi aircraft fired Exocet missiles at USS Stark.
	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 Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) (later became WAC).		1965: System Development Corp hosts widescale computer security discussion.
						1985: Electronic Security Command took over USAF COMSEC mission.

18	19	20	21	22	23	24
	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	1844: First telegraph message was sent.
		1985: Retired CWO John Walker was arrested for spying.	1940: FDR authorized wiretapping to watch German agents.	1992: VADM Michael McConnell, USN, became DIRNSA.
			1975: William F. Friedman Auditorium dedicated at NSA.
			2010: US Cyber Command established.

25	26	27	28	29	30	May 31
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.		1933: Rumrunning trial began with case built upon Elizabeth Friedman's cryptanalysis.
		Memorial Day Remembrance		2001: al-Qaida member convicted of terrorism in embassy bombings.

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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