Lambros D. Callimahos
Encyclopedia
Lambros Demetrios Callimahos (December 16, 1910 – October 28, 1977) was a US Army
cryptologist
. Born in Alexandria
of Greek parents, the family emigrated to the United States
when he was four. His father was a journalist
.
His main interests at school were in chemistry, physics and medicine.
He didn't show interest in music
until the age of fourteen when he entered high school
in Asbury Park.
He earned a degree in law
from Rutgers in accord with his fathers' wishes, but attended Juilliard at the age of nineteen and graduated with a degree in 1933. While he started at the bottom of the class, he became head of his class in his second year due to encouragement from his teacher, Arthur Lora. After graduation, he continued study in Europe
.
in 1935 and was heralded as Meisterfloetist. He also played in Vienna
and that autumn played an all-Bach
programme in Munich
, consisting of the seven sonatas and his own transcription for flute and harpsichord of the B-Minor suite. He had a two-year tour of recitals in Europe
and was appointed to a professorship in the Mozarteum.
In April 1937, he had his first United States
debut in The Town Hall
. He continued to tour both in Europe
and the United States
.
in 1941, hoping his interest in cryptology could be put to service.
He taught Italian
and cryptanalysis
at Fort Monmouth
. He enrolled in a Japanese
course and eventually served as a Signals Intelligence
officer in New Delhi
.
. When the National Security Agency
was formed, both men joined it. During the 1950s he developed the course CA-400, an expansion of Friedman's own intensive-study course. Graduates of the course became members of the Dundee Society
. As part of this course he devised the Zendian Problem
. He also revised some of Friedman's own work to produce the text Military Cryptanalytics
.
In 1955, he established the NSA Technical Journal and served as technical advisor for the rest of his career.
Health problems forced his retirement in 1976.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
cryptologist
Cryptography
Cryptography is the practice and study of techniques for secure communication in the presence of third parties...
. Born in Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
of Greek parents, the family emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
when he was four. His father was a journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
.
His main interests at school were in chemistry, physics and medicine.
He didn't show interest in music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
until the age of fourteen when he entered high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in Asbury Park.
He earned a degree in law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
from Rutgers in accord with his fathers' wishes, but attended Juilliard at the age of nineteen and graduated with a degree in 1933. While he started at the bottom of the class, he became head of his class in his second year due to encouragement from his teacher, Arthur Lora. After graduation, he continued study in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
Musical career
His musical debut was in MunichMunich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
in 1935 and was heralded as Meisterfloetist. He also played in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
and that autumn played an all-Bach
Bạch
Bạch is a Vietnamese surname. The name is transliterated as Bai in Chinese and Baek, in Korean.Bach is the anglicized variation of the surname Bạch.-Notable people with the surname Bạch:* Bạch Liêu...
programme in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, consisting of the seven sonatas and his own transcription for flute and harpsichord of the B-Minor suite. He had a two-year tour of recitals in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and was appointed to a professorship in the Mozarteum.
In April 1937, he had his first United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
debut in The Town Hall
The Town Hall
The Town Hall is a performance space, located at 123 West 43rd Street, between Sixth Avenue and Broadway, in New York City. It seats approximately 1,500 people.-History:...
. He continued to tour both in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
World War II
He joined the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in 1941, hoping his interest in cryptology could be put to service.
He taught Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
and cryptanalysis
Cryptanalysis
Cryptanalysis is the study of methods for obtaining the meaning of encrypted information, without access to the secret information that is normally required to do so. Typically, this involves knowing how the system works and finding a secret key...
at Fort Monmouth
Fort Monmouth
Fort Monmouth was an installation of the Department of the Army in Monmouth County, New Jersey. The post is surrounded by the communities of Eatontown, Tinton Falls and Oceanport, New Jersey, and is located about 5 miles from the Atlantic Ocean. The post covers nearly of land, from the Shrewsbury...
. He enrolled in a Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
course and eventually served as a Signals Intelligence
SIGINT
Signals intelligence is intelligence-gathering by interception of signals, whether between people , whether involving electronic signals not directly used in communication , or combinations of the two...
officer in New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
.
Later career
After World War II, he was assigned to the Army Security Agency as assistant to William F. FriedmanWilliam F. Friedman
William Frederick Friedman was a US Army cryptographer who ran the research division of the Army's Signals Intelligence Service in the 1930s, and parts of its follow-on services into the 1950s...
. When the National Security Agency
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...
was formed, both men joined it. During the 1950s he developed the course CA-400, an expansion of Friedman's own intensive-study course. Graduates of the course became members of the Dundee Society
Dundee Society
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 . The class was held once a year, and new members were inducted into the Society upon completion of the class...
. As part of this course he devised 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....
. He also revised some of Friedman's own work to produce the text Military Cryptanalytics
Military Cryptanalytics
Military Cryptanalytics is a revision by Lambros D. Callimahos of the series of books written by William F. Friedman under the title Military Cryptanalysis. It also contains contributions by other cryptanalysts. It was a training manual for National Security Agency and military cryptanalysts...
.
In 1955, he established the NSA Technical Journal and served as technical advisor for the rest of his career.
Health problems forced his retirement in 1976.