Historical Correspondences Related to Chaocipher

Moshe Rubin (mosher@mountainvistasoft.com)

The cryptologic literature makes references to Chaocipher-related correspondences, spanning more than thirty years, between John F. Byrne and William F. Friedman.  These references include Byrne's quotes in his autobiography "Silent Years", David Kahn's descriptions in The Codebreakers, and numerous articles posted on The Chaocipher Clearing House (TCCH) web site.  Although known to a select few, these correspondences have never been publicly available.

The Chaocipher Clearing House is proud to present a significant amount of Chaocipher-related correspondences between John F. Byrne, William F. Friedman, and others.  It is our hope that making these correspondences available will shed historical light on this fascinating episode, and possibly lead to solving this, by now, legendary cipher mystery.

Credits

TCCH readers owe a great debt of gratitude to several indefatigable cryptologic researchers for unearthing these important correspondences.

(a) American Cryptogram Association (ACA) member Wesley H. Horton (DRIVE-IN) was the first to obtain copies of the 1922 and 1942 Friedman-Byrne correspondence from the NSA in 1985.  Horton made this material available to interested ACA members.

(b) The founding editor of the ACA Computer Supplement, Mike Barlow, sent copies of the 1922 and 1942 correspondence to any ACA member who requested it.  (Mike, who passed away in May 1990, was an energetic member of the ACA.  In 1986, after months of lobbying, on his own, he single-handedly developed the Computer Supplement, and was instrumental in interesting numerous ACA members in the Chaocipher.)
 
(c) In 1998, ACA member Jeffrey Hill (E. E. REMINGTON) following leads supplied by Mike Barlow, obtained copies of Friedman-Byrne material from the George C. Marshall Research Foundation that yielded a 1954 speech by Friedman made in response to Chapter 21 in Silent Years and also copies of letters exchanged between Friedman and Byrne in 1957, as well as the 1922 and 1942 correspondence already known.

(d) In 2009, ACA member Hub Ratliff (HUB), a native of Austin, Texas,  kindly agreed to visit the Harry Ransom Center in Austin and thoroughly search through the entire folder containing John F. Byrne's papers.  This netted several unknown correspondences (e.g., Byrne's original 29 January 1957 letter to Friedman, Byrne's letters to Herbert O. Yardley challenging him to solve the Chaocipher messages).

I am particularly indebted to Jeff Hill for generously sharing the information he had.  Without Jeff's magnanimity these correspondences would not have seen the light of day on TCCH.

In addition I am most thankful to Hub Ratliff for finding the time in his truly busy schedule to perform a sterling research job for me, albeit a fellow ACA member but a hitherto unknown entity<g>.

Synopsis

The correspondences, spanning the years 1922-1957, illuminate the interaction between John F. Byrne and William F. Friedman in his capacity as Head Cryptanalyst, Chief Signal Office.  They have been arranged in chronological order, allowing you to read and experience the correspondences in the logical and progressive order they occurred.

The following chronology is divided into five (5) different periods:

Chronology

The following table details a chronology of correspondences between John F. Byrne and a number of persons.  A link to a letter or correspondence is provided when relevant.  The sources include:

YearDateSenderRecipientNumber
of pages		DescriptionSource
1918John F. Byrne discovers a novel cryptographic principle, leading to the invention of his Chaocipher.SY: 264
1921August 3Colonel Parker HittJohn F. Byrne1Hitt returns Chaocipher evaluation material, offers his initial opinion of the cipher system.NCM
1922March 7Colonel Parker HittJohn F. ByrneHitt declines to get personally involved in Chaocipher, offering to introduce Byrne to Major Frank Moorman.SY: 275
1922March 17Byrne travels to Washington, is introduced to Major Moorman and William F. Friedman by Colonel Parker Hitt, demonstrates his first model.SY: 275
1922August 21John F. ByrneMajor Frank MoormanThis letter is referred to in the following letter from Moorman (August 26)SY: 276
1922August 26Major  Frank MoormanJohn F. ByrneMajor Moorman acknowledges Byrne's letter
SY: 275-276
1922September 7William F. FriedmanJohn F. Byrne2Friedman apologizes profusely for the damaged model returned to Byrne.  He also clarifies that this early model was not reliable, verifies that he performed analysis, and requests a set of messages from Byrne.GCMRF
1937November 18John F. ByrneAdmiral BowenTells Bowen about the availability of his system.SY: 277
1937December 7Captain J. M. IrishJohn F. ByrneThanks Byrne for the opportunity to examine his system.SY: 278
1938January 15John F. ByrneCaptain J. M. IrishSends Captain Irish a copy of the booklet "Chaocipher - The Ultimate Elusion".SY: 278-279
1938March 12Captain J. M. IrishJohn F. ByrneCaptain Irish lists possible stipulations should the Navy choose to adopt the system.SY: 280
1938April 4Preliminary conference, Washington, D.C.
SY: 279
1938May 3Chaocipher demonstration, Washington, D.C.,  Commanders Wagner and Tucker attending.SY: 279
1942MarchJohn F. ByrneG. M. Campbell1GCMRF
1942June 3John F. ByrneWilliam F. Friedman2GCMRF
1942June 5 / 6 (?)William F. FriedmanLt. Hiser1GCMRF
1942June 6William F. FriedmanJohn F. Byrne1WFF's reply to Byrne was most probably drafted by Lt. Hiser.GCMRF
1942June 9John F. ByrneWilliam F. Friedman1GCMRF
1942June 16William F. FriedmanJohn F. Byrne1GCMRF
1953/1954 (?)N/AWilliam F. Friedman2Notes on a railroad diner card about his proposed speechGCMRF
1954February 15Helen Herbert PeckWilliam F. and Elizebeth Friedman1GCMRF
1954March 2Helen Herbert PeckWilliam F. and Elizebeth Friedman1GCMRF
1954March 138Friedman's speech  about John F. Byrne's "Silent Years"GCMRF
1957January 29John F. ByrneWilliam F. FriedmanByrne's initial letter to WFF in 1957 (inferred by WFF's reply on February 6)HRC (on order)
1957February 6William F. FriedmanJohn F. Byrne1WFF's reply to Byrne's previous letter (reproduced by permission of the Harry Ransom Center)HRC
1957February 17John F. ByrneWilliam F. Friedman1GCMRF
1957February 28John F. ByrneWilliam F. Friedman1GCMRF
1957March 3William F. FriedmanJohn F. Byrne1GCMRF
1958June 1John F. ByrneHerbert O. YardleyHRC (on order)
1958June 24John F. ByrneHerbert O. YardleyHRC (on order)
1958July 24John F. ByrneHerbert O. YardleyHRC (on order)



Copyright (c) 2009 Moshe Rubin, All Rights Reserved.
Created: 24 September 2009
Last updated: 1 April 2011


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