US Navy WAVES operated the Cryptanalytic Bombes
Waves Operated the 26 Standard Bombes (N-530) and 3 special Bombes (N-800) on the Main Deck of Building 4 at the Navy's Communication Annex on Nebraska Avenue in Washington, DC
Bombes began arriving at the Navy's Communication Annex on Nebraska Avenue in Washington, DC at a rate of four per week beginning in September, 1943. Women known as WAVES (Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service) operated the machines, but knew only that they were doing code work. Although they were not informed of the reult of their work, they did understand its importance. Because of their dedication and loyalty, German U-boat messages could be read in near real-time, and lives of men, Allied and German, were spared.
Source: National Cryptologic Museum
Bombe on Wikipedia
Once the British had given the Americans the details about the bombe and its use, the US had the National Cash Register Company manufacture a great many additional bombes, which the US then used to assist in the code-breaking. These ran much faster than the British version, so fast that unlike the British model, which would freeze immediately (and ring a bell) when a possible solution was detected, the NCR model, upon detecting a possible solution, had to "remember" that setting and then reverse its rotors to back up to it (meanwhile the bell rang).
i09_0214 131
US Navy WAVES operated the Cryptanalytic Bombes
Waves Operated the 26 Standard Bombes (N-530) and 3 special Bombes (N-800) on the Main Deck of Building 4 at the Navy's Communication Annex on Nebraska Avenue in Washington, DC
Bombes began arriving at the Navy's Communication Annex on Nebraska Avenue in Washington, DC at a rate of four per week beginning in September, 1943. Women known as WAVES (Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service) operated the machines, but knew only that they were doing code work. Although they were not informed of the reult of their work, they did understand its importance. Because of their dedication and loyalty, German U-boat messages could be read in near real-time, and lives of men, Allied and German, were spared.
Source: National Cryptologic Museum
Bombe on Wikipedia
Once the British had given the Americans the details about the bombe and its use, the US had the National Cash Register Company manufacture a great many additional bombes, which the US then used to assist in the code-breaking. These ran much faster than the British version, so fast that unlike the British model, which would freeze immediately (and ring a bell) when a possible solution was detected, the NCR model, upon detecting a possible solution, had to "remember" that setting and then reverse its rotors to back up to it (meanwhile the bell rang).
i09_0214 131