"On This Date in Cryptologic History" Calendar
1878: Colonel Parker Hitt's Birth Date
27 August 1878: American cryptologic pioneer Colonel Parker Hitt was born in Indianapolis, IN.
Col. Hitt's work, "The Manual for the Solution of Military Ciphers," published in 1916, was the first work of its kind in the United States in 100 years and laid the foundation for the nation's impressive cryptologic achievements during the 20th century. At a time when the nation had no formal cryptologic service, Col. Parker Hitt's innovative work documented concepts and principles that would be used to protect U.S. military communications for decades. His work also directly influenced William and Elizebeth Friedman, who referred to him as the "father of modern American cryptology."
Col. Hitt was inducted into the NSA/CSS Cryptologic Hall of Honor in 2011. Read about his career and accomplishments in Col. Hitt's NSA Cryptologic Hall of Honor entry via the link below.
