Sunday, March 11, 2012

Birth of the Naval Security Group and the Cryptologic Community - 77 Years Ago Today

In July 1922, the U.S. Navy formally established a cryptologic element, known as the Communication Security Unit, or Director of Naval Communications (DNC) OP-20-G. The unit was located at the Main Navy Building, commonly referred to as "Main Navy", 18th St. Constitution Ave.

On March 11, 1935 (77 years ago), the unit was re-designated as the Communications Security Group (CSG). This date is observed as the birth of the Naval Security Group. In February, 1943, the CSG transferred to a new facility at 3801 Nebraska Ave. NW, Washington, DC. The facility at 3801 Nebraska Avenue was known as the Communications Supplementary Annex from February, 1943. It was renamed Naval Communications Station Washington (NCSW) on July 7, 1948, and re-designated as the Naval Security Station (NAVSECSTA) on September 21, 1950.


8 comments:

Justin Rogers ENS, USN (1170) said...

Cyber Warfare: America's new Strategic Asset

Justin Rogers ENS, USN (1170) said...

Cyber Warfare: America's new Strategic Asset

Anonymous said...

11 March 1935 - 30 September 2005 - RIP

http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=20444

Anonymous said...

It was a good run.

RAAUZYUW RUEOMFB1410 2730013-UUBB--RUETIAA.
ZNR UUUBB ZUI RUEOMCE1940 2730015
R 292356Z SEP 05
FM COMNAVNETWARCOM NORFOLK VA
TO ZEN/COMNAVSECGRU FT GEORGE G MEADE MD
ZEN/AIG 125
INFO RUETIAA/NSACSS FT GEORGE G MEADE MD

// MULTIPLE ADDRESSES REMOVED //

BT
UNCLAS
QQQQ
SUBJ: DISESTABLISHMENT OF THE NAVAL SECURITY GROUP COMMAND - WELL/DONE
MSGID/GENADMIN/COMNAVNETWARCOM/N00/SEP//
SUBJ/DISESTABLISHMENT OF THE NAVAL SECURITY GROUP COMMAND - WELL/DONE
// POC/JAN E. TIGHE/CAPT/DEPUTY DIRECTOR IOD/240-373-3011/CNSG/JETIGHE
AT HQCNSG.NAVY.MIL//

RMKS/1. ON 30 SEP 05, NAVAL SECURITY GROUP COMMAND (NSG) WILL
BE DISESTABLISHED AS AN ECHELON II SHORE ACTIVITY AFTER MORE THAN
70 YEARS OF EXEMPLARY CRYPTOLOGIC SERVICE TO THE NATION AND THE
NAVY. WITH A FINAL ENTRY IN THE NSG LOG BOOK AND THE LOWERING OF
THE COMMAND FLAG, RADM ANDREW M. SINGER WILL BE RELIEVED OF COMMAND
RESPONSIBILITIES AND NSG WILL TRANSITION TO THE INFORMATION
OPERATIONS DIRECTORATE (IOD) OF NAVAL NETWORK WARFARE COMMAND. THE
RECORD WILL SHOW NSG ON WATCH FROM 11 MARCH 1935 TO 30 SEPTEMBER
2005.

2. BEGINNING 1 OCT 05, IOD WILL SYNCHRONIZE THE INFORMATION
OPERATIONS AND SIGNALS INTELLIGENCE MISSIONS WITHIN NETWARCOM. THE
ALIGNMENT INTO NETWARCOM PROVIDES FOR THE COMBINED POWER OF
FULL-SPECTRUM INFORMATION OPERATIONS, NAVY NETWORKS, AND SIGNALS
INTELLIGENCE IN A COHERENT OPERATIONAL STRUCTURE. BRINGING TOGETHER
THE WORKFORCES OF THE NSG AND NETWARCOM WILL DELIVER AN
UNPRECEDENTED LEVEL OF EXPERTISE AND RESPONSIVENESS -- PROFESSIONALS
WHO UNDERSTAND AND CAN SHAPE THE INFORMATION WARFARE DOMAIN TO MEET
PEACETIME, CRISIS, SURGE, AND WARTIME OBJECTIVES FOR JFMCCS AND
OTHER JOINT COMMANDERS.

1 of 2

Anonymous said...

2 of 2
3. THE ORIGINS OF THE NSG DATE BACK TO 1924 WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT
OF A RESEARCH DESK IN THE CODE AND SIGNAL SECTION OF THE DEPARTMENT
OF NAVAL COMMUNICATIONS. REDESIGNATED OP-20-G IN 1928 AND SERVING
THE DIRECTOR OF NAVAL COMMUNICATIONS, IT BECAME KNOWN AS THE "ON THE
ROOF GANG" BECAUSE ITS FOUNDING MEMBERS WERE TRAINED IN THE ART OF
CODED COMMUNICATIONS IN A SECURE FACILITY ON THE ROOF OF THE OLD
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY BUILDING. OP-20-G CONTINUED TO GROW,
CULMINATING IN THE FORMATION OF THE NAVAL SECURITY GROUP ON 11 MARCH
1935. ALTHOUGH THE NAME OP-20-G WAS RETAINED UNTIL AFTER WORLD WAR
II, 11 MARCH 1935 MARKED THE FIRST APPEARANCE OF THE WORD "GROUP" IN
THE TITLE OF THE NAVAL CRYPTOLOGIC ORGANIZATION AND IS OBSERVED AS
THE BIRTH OF THE NAVAL SECURITY GROUP. THE LEADERSHIP OF JOSEPH
WENGER, THE FIRST CRYPTOLOGIC ADMIRAL, LED TO THE CREATION OF NSG,
OR SECGRU, AS AN INDEPENDENT COMMAND IN 1950. IN 1956, THE NSG
HEADQUARTERS ACTIVITY WAS ESTABLISHED, RETAINING THE NAME UNTIL 1961
WHEN IT WAS REDESIGNATED THE NSG HEADQUARTERS UNDER THE DIRECTOR,
NAVAL SECURITY GROUP. FINALLY ON 1 JULY 1968, OPNAV NOTICE 5450
ESTABLISHED THE NSG COMMAND HEADQUARTERS UNDER A FLAG OFFICER.

4. FOR 70 YEARS, SECGRU CRYPTOLOGISTS PROVED THEIR VALUE IN
CONFLICTS, PLAYING KEY ROLES IN WWII, KOREA, VIETNAM, THE COLD WAR
AND MOST RECENTLY AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ. WHILE SECGRU EXPERIENCED
MANY SUCCESSES, THEY WERE NOT WITHOUT SACRIFICE. IN 1967 THE USS
LIBERTY WAS ATTACKED DURING THE SIX DAY WAR. TWO-THIRDS OF THE
LIBERTY'S CREW WERE CASUALTIES WITH 34 KILLED, 23 OF THEM
CRYPTOLOGISTS. THE LIST DOES NOT STOP THERE. THE USS PUEBLO, THE
EC-121 SHOOT-DOWN, AND THE FIRE AT KAMISEYA, JAPAN ALL RESULTED IN
SECGRU CASUALTIES WHILE ON WATCH.

5. OUR NAVY'S INFORMATION WARRIORS HAVE GONE BY DIFFERENT NAMES IN
DIFFERENT ERAS, BUT THE ESSENTIALS OF THE MISSION, AND THE SENSE OF
DUTY, HAVE REMAINED THE SAME. AS NSG BEGINS A NEW CHAPTER, ITS
FOCUS NOW TURNS TO A NEW LOGBOOK WITH ITS FIRST PAGE DATED 1 OCT
2005. SECGRU SAILORS CAN TAKE PRIDE IN NSG'S LEGACY OF EXCELLENCE
TO THE NATION AND NAVY. THROUGH STEADFAST COMMITMENT AND SUSTAINED
SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE, NSG CONSISTENTLY PROVIDED THE INFORMATION
DOMINANCE THE FLEET NEEDED AND HAS BEEN THE BENCHMARK FOR
CRYPTOLOGIC OPERATIONS BY WHICH OTHERS ARE JUDGED. THIS EXCELLENCE
WILL CONTINUE UNDER NETWARCOM.

6. TO THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE NAVAL SECURITY GROUP COMMAND, I
EXTEND THE APPRECIATION AND THE RESPECT OF THE NAVY COMMUNITY. THE
HERITAGE OF THE NAVAL SECURITY GROUP COMMAND IS ILLUSTRATED BY THE
SPIRIT, ENTHUSIASM AND GENIUS OF ITS PEOPLE, QUALITIES WHICH WILL
SERVE US WELL IN MEETING THE NEW AND DEMANDING CHALLENGES OF THE
FUTURE. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE, ALL YOU ARE GOING TO DO,
AND ABOVE ALL FOR SERVING WITH THE DISTINCTION YOU HAVE SO RICHLY
EARNED.

7. WELL DONE AND WELCOME ABOARD! VADM MCARTHUR SENDS.//
BT

Mike Lambert said...

"The cryptologic community is dead; long live the cryptologic community."

Our CTs continue to embody the finest traits of the original "On The Roof Gang".

The command/community name have changed numerous times over our 77 year history. It's bound to change again.

What does not change is the indomitable spirit of the men and women who serve their great Navy as members of this great community.

Anonymous said...

Amen Captain....Amen!!

Anonymous said...

I was a CTA from 1968 until 1975 serving in Kamiseya, Yokosuka, Pentagon and NSG HQ at 3801 Nebraska Ave NW. I am as proud today of what we accomplished for the safety of our troops and the nation as I was when wearing the Feather and Lightning Bolt. A larger group of the most intelligent sailors the Navy had to offer and I could not have been better blessed than to serve with them.