Navy Crypto Humor: Crummy Places and WullenWaffen

[Jan Lundquist]

Many veterans have stories of being invited to earn a C T rating by a recruiter who could not tell them anything about the classification other than CTs rarely went to sea. Like the Alsos and Ticom missions, the NSA and the NRO, the work of CTs was highly classified for many years.

Those who are veterans of this service still protect its deepest secrets, but they hope the importance of their work will eventually be revealed and recognized. The U.S. Naval Cryptologic Veterans Association website is a first step in that direction.

From that site, a parable covering the growth and development of the Navy communications and cryptology functions over the first few decades of it's existence:

And They Shall Be Called CTs

Published on 12 April 2016
Download https://www.usncva.org/files/cryptologi ... nload.html
( pdf , 337.95 KB )

If you wonder how Cryptologic Technicians—or, formerly Communications Technicians—came to be called CTs, here is the answer to that Ponderous Thought in only Five Acts! Discover all about Crummy Places, the Cover Story, the birth of Naval Tradition, and The Fall.

Sample:

WullenWaffen refers to large circles of antennae and wires used for 360 direction finding.

[Jan Lundquist]

Sheesh. A few days ago, the crypto veterans site had a warm and fuzzy home-baked, feel to it. It was very accessible and I was able to guest-post a question to their forum.. When I came back to see if the question had been answered, the site has had a complete makeover. changed completely. Nos is a stiff and starched version of its former self. They put on their dress blues, and taken the forum and much other information behind closed doors.

Should I take this personally? Was it something I said? Or was it the mention of Thomas Townsend Brown that did it?

This event reminded me of an experience my husband had in a local coffee shop, in the Before Times. He and his gregarious friends were bantering with a stranger with a guy about their age (60-70) waiting at the order window. It was all just ducky until they learned that he had been a submarine captain, and asked what he knew of Townsend Brown. Johnny said it was like throwing ice on the conversation. The guy turned around, froze them out, took his order, and left without another word.

Incidents like this remind me that there are two distinct and opposing factions at work here. On one side, we have the controlled release group. Now that early Cold War histories are being declassified, they have felt free to make packets of information available, like the military records Linda was [finally] given, the Montgolfier Report and the Gray Barker files. What we make of it all, is left up to us.

On the other hand, we have those who have sworn to take certain secrets to their graves. Not only are they not talking, they aren't engaging. Those are the door slammers.

[Jan Lundquist]

I need to have a do-over on this whole typo-filled, and poorly edited thread.

[Paul Schatzkin]

Oh, Jan, I wouldn't worry about the typo-stuff too much.

They put on their dress blues, and taken the forum and much other information behind closed doors.

Should I take this personally? Was it something I said? Or was it the mention of Thomas Townsend Brown that did it?

That's a good anecdote in its own right.

One of the things I don't get into in the book are the years on Catalina, and the time or two (or three or more?) when TTB would go out to board submarines that surfaced in Avalon Bay. Apparently 'stuff' was handed off / retrieved. Details are non existent.

Incidents like this remind me that there are two distinct and opposing factions at work here. On one side, we have the controlled release group. ...On the other hand, we have those who have sworn to take certain secrets to their graves. Not only are they not talking, they aren't engaging. Those are the door slammers.

That is also an astute assessment.

But it is another fine mess we've gotten ourselves into, treading the fine line between the two, isn't it?

--P