Dr. Joseph J. Eachus was one of the first Americans to go to Bletchley Park in England to work with cryptologists during WWII. After a number of visits, he returned to the U.S. to work with Naval Security personnel at the new facility on Nebraska Ave. in Washington, D.C., and had a significant career with the Armed Forces Security Agency (AFSA), NSA, and post-retirement with a defense contractor. Dr. Eachus died in 2003 at the age of 92.
Dr, David Kahn briefly describes Dr. Eachus's work with the US Navy and at Bletchley Park in his book, Seizing the Enigma. (pgs. 237-8). You can also learn more about Dr. Eachus's career in a full article via the NSA CCH Cryptologic Almanac 50th Anniversary Series.
Barbara Abernathy Eachus, 1921-2012, born in Ireland, was recruited by the British Foreign Office at the age of 16, and immediately transferred to the Government Code & Cypher School (GC&CS). In August 1939 she was sent to Bletchley Park in England where she began a career as a linguist, and moved into administration, becoming secretary to Cdr. Alastair Denniston, Director of GC&CS. She helped close the office in 1946, and then moved to Washington, D.C., where she worked for the British Government and married Dr. Joseph Eachus in 1947. In 1956, when she moved to Boston to work for the British Consul, Joseph retired from NSA and moved to Boston with her. Barbara received the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1971 for her work at Bletchley Park during WWII, and in 1976, was instrumental in arranging the bicentennial visit of Queen Elizabeth II to Boston. Learn more about Barbara via her online obituary.
In 2000, Joe and Barbara participated in the NCMF panel discussion, The American Experience at Bletchley Park during WWII, with fellow presenters Art Levinson, Selmer Norland, and Walter Sharp. The couple also established the Marshall Scholarship Alumni Association, now the Association of Marshall Scholars.
Joe and Barbara are survived by his two sons (Barbara's step-sons), Dr. Alan Eachus of Chicago and Dr. James Eachus of Seattle, who are both dedicated supporters and friends of the NCMF.
