HERBERT OSBORN YARDLEY (1889-1958) was an American cryptologist. Born in 1889 in Worthington, Indiana, Yardley learned to use the telegraph from his father, Robert Kirkbride Yardley, a station mast...visualizza altroHERBERT OSBORN YARDLEY (1889-1958) was an American cryptologist. Born in 1889 in Worthington, Indiana, Yardley learned to use the telegraph from his father, Robert Kirkbride Yardley, a station master and telegrapher for a railroad. After graduating from high school in 1907, he briefly attended the University of Chicago before returning to Worthington, where he worked as a telegrapher for a railroad. In 1912, after passing the civil service exam, he was hired as a government telegrapher. He began his career as a code clerk in the U.S. State Department, accepted a Signal Corps Reserve commission, and served as a cryptologic officer with the American Expeditionary Forces in France during WWI. After the war, Yardley continued as head of the “Cipher Bureau” When the stock market crashed and MI-8 closed in 1929, he founded and led the cryptographic organization the Black Chamber; under Yardley, the cryptanalysts of The American Black Chamber broke Japanese diplomatic codes and were able to furnish American negotiators with significant information during the Washington Naval Conference of 1921-1922. Yardley was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal and wrote The American Black Chamber (1931) about his experiences. He later helped the Nationalists in China (1938-1940) to break Japanese codes. Following his work in China, he worked briefly for the Canadian government, helping it set up a cryptological section (Examination Unit) of the National Research Council of Canada. Yardley died in Washington, D.C. in 1958.
CARL HENRY GRABO (1881-1955) was a Professor of English at the University of Chicago. Born in Cook, Illinois in 1881, he was a writer and leader of writing, and at one time Yardley was one of his prize students. Among Grabo’s numerous books are several about the poet Shelley, a book of poetry, a story for children, a novel, and several volumes on the art of writing. He died in Bernalillo, New Mexico in 1955.visualizza meno