THE HERALDRY OF CRYPTOLOGY

"The Heraldry of Cryptology" from Oct 1984 /Jan 1989 - Cryptologia by Louis Kruh

In the United States military forces it is customary for its members to wear distinctive unit insignia and branch insignia, usually of metal, and shoulder sleeve insignia, usually of cloth, on their uniforms. The design of these items generally reflects the history,traditions, accomplishments or functions off the organization and is part of the art of heraldry.

The definition of heraldry is the practice of devising, blazoning and granting armorial insignia and of tracing and recording genealogies.¹. A heraldic design is called a coat of arms. This term comes from the custom of embroidering the emblem of a knight on the surcoat which he wore over his armor.²

While the origins of heraldry may predate recorded history, the use of heraldic symbols as it is known today was initiated with the use of armor in the Middle Ages. The suit of armor made it difficult to distinguish friend from foe during combat and knights developed heraldic symbols so they could identify each other. Symbolism was an important force in the thought and action of medieval times and the symbols chosen by knights usually commemorated an event in their lives or some particular quality. Also, during this period, because most persons did not know how to write, it became common practice to use a seal with a person's heraldic design as his signature to authenticate a document.

When gunpowder made armor obsolete, heraldic designs were no longer needed for recognition on the battlefield. Instead, they became used to identify individual members of the knightly class. In England, in 1484, Richard III established the Herald's College which decides who is entitled to wear coats of arms and determines the design of the distinctive heraldic insignia.²

In the United States, the art of heraldry is still active but generally limited to distinguish organizations rather than individuals. Heraldic and Other military symbols have been used by the U.S. military forces as well as ether elements of the government since the beginning of the Revolution. Until 1919, however, there was no coordinated, overall military symbolism program. In that year, The Institute of Heraldry was established in the War Department.,with responsibility for the coordination and approval of coats of arms and insignia for certain Army organizations. Since then, the Institute has been assigned to The Adjutant General's Office and it services the needs of military departments and other agencies of the federal government.^3,4

Following World War I, there have been several Army units and branches with cryptologic related duties which have been authorized to wear distinctive insignia designed to reflect their areas of specialization. The first was tihe Military Intelligence Officer's Reserve Corps (MIORC). In World War I, MI-8, a section of the Military Intelligence Division was responsible for codes ciphers and the MIORC ,established in 1921, was a separate branch of the Reserve consisting of WW I veterans with experience and an interest in intelligence. The insignia authorized on July 30, 1923 is described as an ear shield bearing a circle connected with the border by 13 radial ribs, withn the circle a sphinx in profile couchant. (Figure 1) The thirteen stripes ~the shield converge toward a common point at the center where sits the Sphinx , the symbol of wisdom and strength, thus symbolizing the collection of information by the Military Intelligence Division;, and conversely from that center, after evaluation, ,the military information is disseminated.³

In 1962, after some earlier reorganizations. the Army set up the Army Intelligence and Security Branch and a new insignia was authorized to replace the traditional Sphinx used for Military Intelligence. The new insignia was continued when the branch was redesignated as the Military Intelligence Branch in 1967. The design was a gold color dagger, point up and on it a gold color heraldic sun composed of four straight and four wavy alternating rays surmounted by a gold heraldic rose, the petals dark blue enamel. (Figure 2) The sun is the symbol of Helios who, as god of the sun. could see and hear everything. The 4 straight rays of the sun symbol also allude to the 4 points of the compass and the worldwide mission of the Military Intelligence Branch. The placement of the sun symbol beneath the rose (an ancient symbol of secrecy) refers to the operations and activities of the branch being conducted under circumstances forbidding disclosure. The partially concealed unsheathed dagger alludes to theaggressive and protective requirements and the element Of physical danger inherent in the mission. The color gold signifies successful accomplishment and the dark blue signifies vigilance and loyalty.

The Army Security Agency. successor to the Signal Security Agency, received its name on September 15, 1945, when it was divorced from the Signal Corps and established as a separate organization under the Assistant Chief of Staff, G-2. A distinctive shoulder sleeve insignia and distinctive unit insignia were authorized in 1962 and 1968, respectively. The shoulder insignia was teal blue within a yellow border, a shield 2" X 3" and issuant from the viewer's upper left ,the leg of an eagle in black with yellow talons grasping two crossed white lightning flashes issuant from upper right points to base (Figure 3). Symbolically, the flashes across the blue field suggest worldwide electrical communications. The eagle's claw grasping the flashes alludes to ,the Agency's general mission, that of insuring the smooth function of the Army's communication facilities.

The unit insignia (Figure 4) was a gold color and enamel device consisting of an elliptical globe with gold gridlines, the left half of blue (oriental) enamel and the right half of black enamel charged with a gold double warded key between a gold lightning flash and a white enamel quill detailed gold, all between two gold scrolls, the top one inscribed "Vigilant," and the bottom one incscribed "Always," both in black enamel letters. The double warded key symbolizes the U.S. Army Security Agency's mission of being concerned with hostile communications while holding friendly communications secure. The llightning flash and quill refer to the Agency's ability to transmit and record information efficiently. The globe, half light and half dark,alludes to the Agency's constant alertness day and night to any security mission anywhere in the world.

Earlier, in 1953, a distinctive insignia was designed for the Army Security Agency School. (Figure 5) The blazonry is as followsShield: Azure (teal blue) a sphinx rampant or armed yules grasping inthe dexter paw two lightning flashes of the second. Crest: On a wreath or an azure (teal blue): two keys in saltire or and a torch azure the flame yules. Motto: Vigiles Salutis (Sentinels of Security). The description says the shield is in the colors of unassigned units of the Army. The sphinx symbolizes wisdom, silence, and closemouthed conduct; it grasps the lightning, which represents the use of electronic communication by the Army Security Agency School. The torch of learning in the crest in combination with the crossed keys of security symbolizes the School's function and purpose.

The Reserve Army Security Branch was created in 1952 and its badge (Figure 6) contained a lightning bolt, signifying communications; and crossed key standing for secrecy, authority, and guardianship. This Branch was subsequently combined with Army Intelligence in 1962 to form the Army Intelligence and Security Branch mentioned above.

The United States Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM)was formed in 1977 by merging the Army Security Agency, Army Intelligence Agency and number of different intelligence production agencies mostly under the direct control of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence (ACSI) A new distinctive shoulder sleeve and unit insignia were authorized for this Command. The shoulder sleeve insignia (Figure 7) has on a battle-axe shaped shield with point to base, a field divided into quarters of silver gray at upperleft lower right, and teal blue upper right and lower left bearing in saltire a white torch with flame at upper right crossing a white lightning flash; over all at center a vertical yellow double-webbed key with bow in base, all with a 1/8 inch wide yellow border. The quartered field alludes to the four primary intelligence functions:collection, analysis, production and dissemation of intelligence.The lightning bolt signifies worldwide electric communications, both friendly and hostile. and the torch stands for knowledge and vigilance. The double-webbed key is symbolic of security and control. Gold and Silver (yellow and white) denote achievement and energy: grey and blue, determination and loyalty.

The INSCOM badge is a gold color metal and enamel device consisting of a teall blue oval-shaped, gold gridlined globe with its long axis placed vertically, and having at center a gold double-webbed key with bow at top and curving upward below the base of the globe two gold sprigs of oak conjoined at center. (Figure 8) The globe refers to the worldwide intelligence of the Command and The key is symbolic of security and control. The oak leaves in the base signify fortitude and endurance. The color blue is symbolic of coolness and courage and gold is for excellence and wisdom.

In 1975, the US. Army Signal School, Fort Gordon, and the U.S. Army Communications Electronics School, Fort Monmouth, were authorized to use a gold color metal and enamel insignia consisting of the device of the schools blazoned as follows Shield: Tenné, a torch palewise argent, enflamed proper.Crest: On a wreath of the colors (argent and tenné) a dexter hand couped at the wrist, clenched, palm affront'é grasping three forked lightning all proper. Motto:Por Patria Vigilans (Watchful for the Country). Supporter: Supported upon the crossed flags of the Signal Corps proper. (Figure 9) As far as symbolism the shield and charge are in the colors of the Signal Corps. The torch has a dual significance: a device of the Signal Corps and the emblem of knowledge of The Signal School. As indicated by the crest, the Signa Corps has grasped the lightning from the heavens and applied it to military commiunication.^3,4

My only information available for the distinctive insignia shown in (Figure 10) is that it belonged to the Cryptographic Staff of the Air Force Air Transport Command during World War II. It is rendered in blue, white, and gold plate on sterling ,Based on the previously explained symbols, the lightning flashes grasped by the eagle should be easily interpreted as are the signals emanatingl tom the radio tower. As I was examining the illustration I recognized - probably because of my Ham radio background - that the narrow and wide bars between the words 'cryptographic'and 'staff ' represent Morse code dots and dashes as follows: A (.-) F (..-.) A (.-) T (-) C )-.-.)

The United States Air Force School of Applied Cryptologic Sciences was operated by the Air Force Security Service at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas.When AFSS left Goodfellow in 1978 the school became part of the Technical Training Wing.The School's multicolored emblem(Figure 11) is blue on the right side of the shield, red on the left, with a yellow lightning bolt in the middle. The lamp is white, sitting on a green globe with black gridlines.The blue in the shield alludes to the sky, the Theater of Air Force operations; Yellow to the excellence of personnel in the pursuit of their duties Red to the protection required in the communications field. The Lamp of Knowledge exemplified the education and training roles of the school; the two flames the dual mission of the USAFSS and its school. The lightning bolt represented the electronic communications and transmissions. The demi-globe expressed the worldwide influence of the school's training.⁶

The National Security Agency has had overall responsibility for our nation cryptologic activities since 1952. Its symbol (Figure 12) is the cipher disk which was invented in the 15th century and first put into large scale use in this country during the Civil War. The cipher disk is probably the world's best known cryptograph and. therefore, an appropriate design for NSA.

Long before NSA was created and also predating the Army SecurityAgency, were earlier agencies such as the Signal Intelligence Service and the Signal Security Agency. During their years of existence, 1929 to 1945, these units achieved some of the greatest successes in cryptologic history. From a heraldic viewpoint, however, they were not distinguished. None of them had any special or distinctive insignia. Instead they wore the Signal Corps insignia which has its own tradition. It consists of two signal flagscrossed, dexter flag white with red center, the other flag red with white center, staff gold,with a flaming torch of gold color upright at center of crossed flags. The crossed flags have been used by theSignal Corps since 1868, when they were prescribed for wear on the uniform coat by enlisted men of the Signal Corps.That was five years after the Signal Corps, or Signal Service as it was called then, was created as a separate service by Congress in1863. In 1884, a burning torch was added to the insignia and the present design adopted on 1 July of that year.⁷The flags and torch are symbolic of signaling or communication (Figure 13 ) and Figure 14)

In today's Army, due to the work of The Institute of Heraldry, aformal system of heraldry has evolved, with rules concerning colors,symbols, designs, and representations of human and animals, real orimaginary, to provide insignia that is distinctive to the organizationfor which it developed.
Some symbols requently used throughout theintelligence community include:
Sun - The Symbol of Helios, Greek godof the sun, who saw and heard everything.
Lighting Bolt - Signifies communications.
Torch - Signifies knowledge.
Key-Symbol used for authority, secrecy and wardenship.
Rose - Associated with silence and secrecy ³

It is interesting to speculate on the type of heraldic design thatcould have been prepared for the Signal Intelligence Service and other agencies during their halcyon period. Would it have included some mixture of the above mentioned symbols or the cipher disk or the skytale, used by the American Cryptogram Association. (Figure 15). Or given the background and subtle humor of the leading cryptologist of the day, perhaps a representation of Francis Bacon with his epigram," Knowledge is Power", hidden in the design; or maybe a thinly disguised message which easily reveals, "This cipher is absolutely indeciperable"

Special thanks to The Institute of Heraldry for assistance in researching this article, and to the Command History Office, USAINSCOM, for their helpful suggestions, and information.

References

Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary.1977. Springfield MA. G. and Merriam Co
The World Book Encyclopedia, Volume 9 1665 Chicago: Field Enterprises Educationl Corp.
Hamm, Diane L. 1982. Heraldry Alive in Traditions. INSCOM Journal 3-5
TIOH Fact Sheet No. 10 19982 Cameron Station. Va. The Institute of Heraldry, U.S. Army
Letters from the Office of the Adjutant General. February 22 and April 20,1983 Letter from Wing Historian, 3480 Technical Training Wing,Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas. August 29, 1983.
Laframboise, MSGT Leon W. 1977. History of the Signal Corps Branchof Service Insignia. Trading Post. 36: 7-14.

Heraldic Glossary

Terms used in heraldry have an exact meaning but are often obscure orof foreign origin. Here are the meanings of some words used in thisarticle which may be unfamiliar.

affronté:: Facing
Argent:: Silver color .
Annulet:: Ring shaped charger
Blazon:: Technical description of coat of arms
Charge:: Figures borne on the heraldic field
Couchant:: Lying down with head up
Dexter:: Right side
Gules:: Red
Or:: Gold color
Palewise:: Divided in two by a vertical line down the middle
Proper:: Represented in natural color
Rampant:: Standing on one hindfoot with one foreleg raised above the other and seen in profile
Saltire:: X shaped crossed partition lines on a shield
Tenné: