CAPT Prescott Hunt Currier
June 4, 1912 – January 12, 1995

Prescott H. Currier was born in Holbrook, MA in June 4, 1912 and enlisted in the Navy in 1929.  He attended On-The-Roof Gang (OTR) training in in Washington, D.C. graduating with class number 8 in the summer of 1932.  Following OTR school, he was sent to Olongapo, Philippines (Station C) where he taught himself Japanese.  RMC MacGregor was the chief in charge.  While in the Philippines, Currier served as an intercept operator, a cryptanalyst, a translator and a report writer.  His skills were so unique that the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) requested he be placed under surveillance.

In Washington as an enlisted man and after four years of service he was discharged.  He then attended college and was given a civil service job with OP-20-G.  While at OP-20-G he worked with Driscoll.  He was commissioned in the Naval Reserve as an ensign in 1936.  Promoted to LTjg in October 1940, he was called to active duty the same year.

In January, 1941, LTjg Currier together with LT Robert B. Weeks and Army representative Abraham Sinkov and Leo Rosen, delivered American built cryptographic devices to England.  This included two copies of the PURPLE machine.  In reciprocity they were supplied by the British with some information about the German ENIGMA system, and were provided modern direction finding equipment.

Currier was the second Officer in Charge at Kamiseya, Japan, with duty from 1952-1954.  He had also been station in the Philippines, at the Naval security Group Headquarters, at ONI, at Arlington Hall Station with the Armed Forces Security Agency (AFSA), As Assistant Naval Attaché in London and at the National Security Agency at Fort Meade, Maryland.

In August 1962 he retired from active service, holding among other decorations, the Legion of Merit with one gold star.  After retirement he moved to England where he obtained an advanced academic degree.  He later returned to the United States where he worked as a civilian at the National Security Agency.

Currier died on January 12, 1995 at his home in Damariscotta, Maine

Source: U.S. cryptologic Veterans Association