Jack Sebastian Holtwick, Jr. was born in Eufaula, former Indian Territory, later the State of Oklahoma on February, 27 1907. His uncle, Enoch Holtwick, once ran for President of the United States on an obscure third party ticket. Holtwick entered the U.S. Naval Academy in 1923 and graduated in 1927 with distinction. Throughout his career he served as a line officer.

Captain Holwick began his work with the Naval Security Group in 1934, and became well known as an excellent cryptologist and administrator. In June 1940, he was assigned to Combat Intelligence Unit (CIU), 14th Naval District, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and in 1943 was assigned to Melbourne, Australia as Officer in Charge, Fleet Radio Unit Melbourne (FRUMEL), and on the staff, Commander, Southwest Pacific. He was assigned to Chunking, China in 1944 as head of the Security Unit (SU). He then returned to Hawaii as head of the Fleet Radio Unit (FRUPAC) – the new name for CIU) and continued there until 1947.

After a stint at sea as Commanding Officer USS PLATTE (AO 24), he was assigned to Headquarters, Naval Security Group as head of Personnel and Administrative Department. In that position Captain Holtwick is credited with establishing the Communications Technician (CT) rating in the Navy, with its various branches for enlisted personnel. Also during his assignment at headquarters, he founded the basic organizational structure of the Naval Security Group. He served as Head, Naval Security Group from September 1949 to April 1950. After serving as Commanding Officer USS ESTES (AGC 12), he returned to Washington in October 1953, and served with the National Security Agency as Chief of Staff until his retirement in 1957.

Captain Holtwick held two awards of the Legion of Merit and one award of the Army Commendation Ribbon as well as numerous unit and campaign medals and ribbons.

In the early 1970s, Captain Holtwick wrote the definitive history of the Security Group from its earliest days, immediately after the end of the First World War, to the beginning of the Second World War. This project chronicled the rise of the Japanese and our efforts to break the codes they used. Much of the eventual book remained classified for the next quarter-century.

Captain Holtwick died in Hawaii on January 8, 1987 at the age of 79.

Source: NCVA Echoes From Our Past