HISTORY OF THE NCVA
by Gordon Stark, KV7K, copyright ©
1996-1999
revised by Robert Rude, AJØC,
copyright © 2000-2005
The U.S. Naval Cryptologic Veterans Association (NCVA) began as a desire by some individuals who had served in the U.S. Naval Cryptologic organization during World War II (WWII) to re-establish and maintain contact with those with whom they had served. Much of the early work of locating and contacting potential members by telephone and mail was done by Lynden Levitt, who then lived in Rapid City, South Dakota and Jack Pickrell, who lived in Denver, Colorado. During the period from the late 1960's until the late 1970's this group held reunions at various locations around the country.
At their reunion in Denver in 1978 (their ninth) it was decided to organize a more formal organization and the name U.S. Naval Cryptologic Veterans Association (NCVA), suggested by Raymond P. Schmidt then Naval Security Group Historian, was adopted. At that time there were about 100 members of which 52, most bringing their wives, attended the Denver reunion. They also decided to incorporate as a non-profit organization. The officers and directors elected to serve for one year were: Jack Regan, Deadwood, South Dakota (chairman and host for the 1979 reunion); Eugene Plume, Aurora, Colorado (president and host of the 1978 reunion); William T. Beltz, Middletwon, Rhode Island (secretary-treasurer); and directors Robert Caple, Elmer Frantz, Richard Stevens, Ralph Briggs, Raymond Parrott, Glenn Evans, and Ken Carmichael. Jack Pickrell was designated files custodian and national secretary.
Some individuals in this early group had been given special training in the 1930's by the Navy and would subsequently become known as members of the "On-The-Roof" Gang (OTRG). The OTRG name was derived from the location of their training; a steel-reinforced concrete blockhouse on the roof of the sixth wing of the old Main Navy Department building at Constitution Avenue and 17th Streets NW, Washington, DC. During the period 1928-1941, 150 US Navy and 26 US Marine Corps enlisted radio operators were trained, in classes usually comprised of six personnel and taught by a Chief Radioman, to intercept and analyze foreign radio communications. Although time has taken its toll 9 of the original 176 OTRG'ers are known to be still alive.
On 17 June, 1983 a memorial was dedicated to the OTRG at the headquarters of the Naval Security Group Command, 3801 Nebraska Avenue NW, Washington, DC. This memorial continues to be located on the quarterdeck of the Command Headquarters now located at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. In a surprise ceremony at the post-Dedication party held at the Washington Navy Yard on 19 June, 1983 Pearly Phillips was recognized as the prime mover in reconstructing and bringing the original "Roofers" together by being awarded the Naval Security Group Meritorious Service Award.
Many of the individuals of the early group (1960's-1970's) were also Amateur Radio operators (HAM's) who were increasingly active on the air under the leadership of Elmer Frantz (W3FQS) and provided valuable and timely distribution of information. They adopted the name Fleet Radio Unit Pacific (FRUPAC) in honor of that most successful WWII organization.
At the 1979 reunion in Rapid City, South Dakota Rear Admiral Eugene Ince was the guest speaker and declared that the Association could be immensely beneficial to the Navy and to the Command. The following were elected as members of the board of directors; Raymond Boyer, Daniel Burke, Ralph Briggs, Albert Fishburn, Elmer Frantz, Grant Lawrence, Graydon Lewis, Raymond Parrott, and Richard Stevens. Jack Pickrell was designated as Executive Director, Jack Regan as President, and Lynden Levitt as Vice President.
NCVA Newsletter publication began in November 1979. At the 1980 reunion in Eugene, Oregon the NCVA Board of Directors voted to finance the continued publication of a quarterly newsletter. Graydon Lewis was designated as editor, Judy Warren production, and Tom Warren photo editor. The name CRYPTOLOG was suggested by the Naval Security Group Headquarters Staff, and and the first issue using that name was published in the Fall of 1982. Since 1980 Graydon Lewis and Judy Warren have published regular quarterly issues of CRYPTOLOG plus additional special issues from time to time.
Much of the success of the NCVA as an organization (it has grown from the 100 or so in 1978 to about 4,000 members) is due to the widespread appeal of the CRYPTOLOG. CRYPTOLOG also has provided an outlet for many members to provide stories which otherwise might never have been published. CRYPTOLOG articles are cleared for security with the Naval Security Group Command Headquarters and have frequently addressed some of the continuing and vexing issues of pre-WWII and WWII cryptologic operations.
Annual reunions, hosted by the named individuals, have been held at the following locations throughout the country:
1979 Rapid City, South Dakota - Jack Regan
1980 Eugene, Oregon - Graydon Lewis
1981 Pensacola, Florida - Al Pelletier
1982 Ellsworth, Maine - Jackson Koon
1983 San Diego, California - Keith Taylor
1984 Colorado Springs, Colorado - Joe Butorac
1985 Baltimore, Maryland - Henry "Bud" Simpson
1986 San Antonio, Texas - Jim Lusk
1987 Sparks, Nevada - Ralph Cox
1988 San Francisco, California - Gil Cheesman
1989 Crystal City, Virginia - Henry "Bud" Simpson
1990 Corpus Christi, Texas - Richard Davis
1991 Honolulu, Hawaii - Rolland "Doc" Belcher
1992 Orlando, Florida - John "Buzz" Clark
1993 Minneapolis, Minnesota - Sheldon Porter
1994 Reno, Nevada - Allen "Ozzie" Osborn
1995 Norfolk, Virginia - George Tibbetts
1996 Springfield, Missouri - Deny Brown
1997 Seattle, Washington - Charlie "Bud" Stillwagon
1998 Arlington, Virginia - Lew Bearden
1999 New Orleans, Louisiana - Jerry Cain
2000 San Diego, California - Ralph "Scotty" Davis
2001 Boston, Massachusetts - Larry Peterson
2002 Chattanooga, Tennessee - Dave Fiehtner & Jake Karoly
2003 Eugene, Oregon - "Grady" Lewis & "Jake" Otten
2004 Charleston, South Carolina - "Spike" Pelletier & Richard "Dickie" Best
2005 San Antonio, Texas - Joe Canales & Hilch Lindsay
2006 Reno, Nevada - "Ozzie" Osborn & "PF" Hammond
Reunions are scheduled to be held in Saratoga Springs, New York in 2007 (host Al St. Onge), St. Louis, Missouri in 2008 (host Gateway Chapter -- NCVA), and Portland, Oregon in 2009 (hosts "Jake" Otten & "Grady" Lewis). In addition to holding annual reunions, the OTRG, and later the NCVA, began sponsoring awards, through the Naval Security Group Command, for active duty Navy and Marine Corps personnel.
At the reunion in Seattle, Washington in 1997 Bob Anderson, a recently retired Force Master Chief, was elected as the Executive Director. Previous Executive Directors have been Jack Pickrell, Ray Boyer, Bud Simpson, and Charlie Walters.