Dundee Society
Encyclopedia
The Dundee Society was a society of graduates of CA-400, a National Security Agency
course in cryptology devised by Lambros D. Callimahos
, which included the Zendian Problem
(a practical exercise in traffic analysis and cryptanalysis). The class was held once a year, and new members were inducted into the Society upon completion of the class. The Society was founded in the mid-1950s and continued on after Callimahos' retirement from NSA in 1976. The last CA-400 class was held at NSA in 1979, formally closing the society's membership rolls.
The society took its name from an empty jar of Dundee marmalade that Callimahos kept on his desk for use as a pencil caddy. Callimahos came up with the society's name while trying to schedule a luncheon for former CA-400 students at the Ft. Meade
Officers' Club; being unable to use either the course name or the underlying government agency's name for security reasons, he spotted the ceramic Dundee jar and decided to use "The Dundee Society" as the cover name for the luncheon reservation. CA-400 students were presented with ceramic Dundee Marmalade jars at the close of the course as part of the induction ceremony into the Dundee Society. When Dundee switched from ceramic to glass jars, Callimahos would still present graduates with ceramic Dundee jars, but the jars were then collected back up for use in next year's induction ceremony, and members were "encouraged" to seek out Dundee jars for their own collections if they wished to have a permanent token of induction.
National Security Agency
The National Security Agency/Central Security Service is a cryptologic intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the collection and analysis of foreign communications and foreign signals intelligence, as well as protecting U.S...
course in cryptology devised by Lambros D. Callimahos
Lambros D. Callimahos
Lambros Demetrios Callimahos was a US Army cryptologist. Born in Alexandria of Greek parents, the family emigrated to the United States when he was four...
, which included the Zendian Problem
Zendian Problem
The Zendian Problem was an exercise in communication intelligence operations devised by Lambros D. Callimahos as part of an advanced course, CA-400, that Callimahos taught to National Security Agency cryptanalysts....
(a practical exercise in traffic analysis and cryptanalysis). The class was held once a year, and new members were inducted into the Society upon completion of the class. The Society was founded in the mid-1950s and continued on after Callimahos' retirement from NSA in 1976. The last CA-400 class was held at NSA in 1979, formally closing the society's membership rolls.
The society took its name from an empty jar of Dundee marmalade that Callimahos kept on his desk for use as a pencil caddy. Callimahos came up with the society's name while trying to schedule a luncheon for former CA-400 students at the Ft. Meade
Fort George G. Meade
Fort George G. Meade is a United States Army installation that includes the Defense Information School, the United States Army Field Band, and the headquarters of United States Cyber Command, the National Security Agency, and the Defense Courier Service...
Officers' Club; being unable to use either the course name or the underlying government agency's name for security reasons, he spotted the ceramic Dundee jar and decided to use "The Dundee Society" as the cover name for the luncheon reservation. CA-400 students were presented with ceramic Dundee Marmalade jars at the close of the course as part of the induction ceremony into the Dundee Society. When Dundee switched from ceramic to glass jars, Callimahos would still present graduates with ceramic Dundee jars, but the jars were then collected back up for use in next year's induction ceremony, and members were "encouraged" to seek out Dundee jars for their own collections if they wished to have a permanent token of induction.