Cryptologic Hall of Honor

The Cryptologic Hall of Honor was created in 1999 to pay special tribute to the pioneers and heroes who rendered distinguished service to American cryptology.

The standards are high for induction into this great hall. The individuals honored were innovators over their entire careers or made major contributions to the structure and processes of American cryptology. The men and women who have been inducted to the Cryptologic Hall of Honor are all greats in the once silent world of cryptology.

In the early days of America's cryptologic effort, many of the "giants" did both Signals Intelligence and Information Assurance. They made important contributions to both offensive and defensive cryptology. As such, they were among the first inducted into the Cryptologic Hall of Honor. 

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Lester K. Myers, 2020 Hall of Honor inductee
Lester K. Myers
By | Dec. 15, 2020
About Lester K. Myers, former NSA Senior Language Analyst, mentor, and 2020 Hall of Honor inductee.
Dr. Whitfield Diffie, 2020 Hall of Honor inductee
Dr. Whitfield Diffie
By | Dec. 15, 2020
About Dr. Whitfield Diffie, computer security pioneer and 2020 Hall of Honor inductee.
Barbara A. McNamara, 2020 Hall of Honor inductee
Barbara A. McNamara
By | Dec. 15, 2020
About Barbara A. McNamara, former NSA Executive Assistant to the Director, former NSA representative to the Department of Defense, former Deputy Director NSA, and 2020 Hall of Honor inductee.
Dr. David Kahn, 2020 Hall of Honor inductee
Dr. David Kahn
By | Dec. 15, 2020
About Dr. David Kahn, Journalist, Author, former NSA Scholar-in-Residence, and 2020 Hall of Honor inductee.
George R. Cotter 2020 Hall of Honor inductee
George R. Cotter
By | Dec. 15, 2020
About George R. Cotter, former NSA Chief of Staff, NSA Chief Scientist, and 2020 Hall of Honor inductee.
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Dr. Robert J. Hermann

2007 Hall of Honor Inductee

Since his earliest days in intelligence activities, Dr. Robert Hermann has been an innovator in engineering research and development.

Dr. Hermann earned his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Iowa State University, and received a commission in the U.S. Air Force. As an Air Force officer, he was assigned to the National Security Agency; upon leaving the military, he became an NSA civilian in 1959.

He held progressively more responsibility in his assignments in the Operations Directorate, predecessor to the Signals Intelligence Directorate, and the Research and Development organization; he also served an outside assignment with the NATO staff. In each of these assignments, he developed new ways to apply technology to NSA operations. From 1973 to 1975, Dr. Hermann served as NSA's Deputy Director for Research and Engineering.

Dr. Hermann moved beyond NSA, as his unique talents were recognized outside the Agency. From 1977 to 1979, he was Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Communications, Command, Control, and Intelligence (C3I). Following that assignment, he served as Assistant Secretary of the Air Force and, concurrently, as Director of the National Reconnaissance Office.

Dr. Hermann retired from government service in 1982.

Former DCI James Woolsey, in presenting Dr. Hermann with a community-wide award, called him "one of the architects of America's modern world-wide technical intelligence networks," and noted Dr. Hermann's visionary concepts for capabilities "upon which the United States will rely for many years."

2007 Biography hall of honor historical figure Robert J. Hermann