Table Of ContentPARKER HITT
American Warriors
Throughout the nation’s history, numerous men and women of all ranks
and branches of the US military have served their country with honor and
distinction. During times of war and peace, there are individuals whose
exemplary achievements embody the highest standards of the US armed
forces. The aim of the American Warriors series is to examine the unique
historical contributions of these individuals, whose legacies serve as
enduring examples for soldiers and citizens alike. The series will promote
a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the US armed forces.
Series editor: Joseph Craig
An AUSA Book
PARKER HITT
T F a
he aTher oF merican
m c
iliTary rypTology
Betsy Rohaly Smoot
Copyright © 2022 by The University Press of Kentucky
Scholarly publisher for the Commonwealth,
serving Bellarmine University, Berea College, Centre
College of Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky University,
The Filson Historical Society, Georgetown College,
Kentucky Historical Society, Kentucky State University,
Morehead State University, Murray State University,
Northern Kentucky University, Transylvania University,
University of Kentucky, University of Louisville,
and Western Kentucky University.
All rights reserved.
Editorial and Sales Offices: The University Press of Kentucky
663 South Limestone Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40508-4008
www.kentuckypress.com
Portions of chapters 3, 5, and 7 previously appeared as “An Accidental
Cryptologist: The Brief Career of Genevieve Young Hitt” in Cryptologia 35,
no. 2 (March 2011) and are reprinted by permission of the publisher,
Taylor and Francis, Ltd., http://www.tandfonline.com.
A portion of chapter 4 previously appeared as “Parker Hitt’s First Cylinder
Device and the Genesis of U.S. Army Cylinder and Strip Devices” in
Cryptologia 39, no. 4 (October 2015) and is reprinted by permission of the
publisher, Taylor and Francis, Ltd., http://www.tandfonline.com.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Smoot, Betsy Rohaly, author.
Title: Parker Hitt : the father of American military cryptology /
Betsy Rohaly Smoot.
Other titles: Father of American military cryptology
Description: Lexington, Kentucky : The University Press of Kentucky,
[2022] | Series: American warrior series | Includes bibliographical
references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2021049366 | ISBN 9780813182407 (hardcover) |
ISBN 9780813182421 (epub)
Subjects: LCSH: Hitt, Parker, 1878– | Cryptography—United States—
History—20th century | Cryptographers—United States—Biography. |
United States. Army—Officers—Biography.
Classification: LCC UB290.H5 S66 2022 | DDC 358/.24—dc23/
eng/20211013
This book is printed on acid-free paper meeting
the requirements of the American National Standard
for Permanence in Paper for Printed Library Materials.
Manufactured in the United States of America
Member of the Association
of University Presses
To my mother, Shirley Miller Hall,
who nurtured my interest in history
Conform and be dull.
—J. Frank Dobie, The Voice of the Coyote
Contents
Preface ix
Note on Terminology x
Introduction 1
1. The Making of the Man 5
2. The Making of the Soldier 15
3. Genevieve Young 43
4. The Making of the Expert 51
5. To France 77
6. Chief Signal Officer 100
7. Jack-of-All-Trades 122
8. Commerce 151
9. Retreat 166
10. Return to Service 177
11. The Old Soldier 189
12. Legacy 202
Acknowledgments 211
Notes 213
Selected Bibliography 263
Index 273
Illustrations follow page 150
Preface
Success in dealing with unknown ciphers is measured by these
four things in the order named: perseverance, careful methods
of analysis, intuition, luck.
Parker Hitt, 1916
Hitt’s axiom for success with ciphers was equally applicable to my jour-
ney in writing this book. I first heard Parker Hitt’s name during a talk by
Dr. David A. Hatch in October 2007. My initial thought was to wonder
whether Hitt was related to my husband’s Hitt ancestors (he is). Then I
grew curious; my intuition told me there was a story here. A careful read-
ing of David Kahn’s The Codebreakers revealed intriguing details, but I
wanted to know more. Kahn had visited the Hitts in Front Royal, Vir-
ginia. I searched in vain for a grave site there and then asked Dr. Thomas
A. Johnson, who lived nearby, if he knew where the Hitts were buried.
As luck would have it, Tom was able to contact then-director of the War-
ren County Heritage Society, Patrick Farris. Some years earlier, Farris
had helped a family organize and preserve some of Hitt’s papers. David
and Evie Moreman and their daughter and son-in-law, Jennifer and Kevin
Mustain, were friends and heirs of Hitt’s daughter, Mary Lueise. They
kindly allowed me access to a trunk full of Parker Hitt’s papers (to which
I applied careful methods of analysis). I was now officially obsessed with
telling his story.
Despite numerous obstacles, I persevered. More than a dozen years
after first hearing his name, I now send Parker Hitt’s story into the world.
I hope this book brings much-needed light to the life of this extraordinary
and ingenious man.
ix
