Seoul, South Korea —
A Japanese warship is on the way to the United States to be fitted with Tomahawk cruise missiles, the latest move by Washington and its Asian allies to beef up firepower as adversaries like China and North Korea expand theirs.
Continue reading “Japan is arming a warship with US missiles that can hit targets up to 1,000 miles away as Pacific arms race heats up”
Shanghai Finally Closes
In 1935, Capt Lasswell, USMC was assigned to the American Embassy in Tokyo to received Japanese language training. Upon completion of this training, he was transferred to the Philippines and reported to Marine Barracks, Navy Yard Cavite, on September 4, 1938. At Cavite, he was assigned a cover billet as “Assistant War Plans Officer” for the 16th Naval District. However, his actual duty was as language officer to the Asiatic Decryption Unit of the Communication Intelligence Unit, relieving LT Joseph Finnegan, USN. He had no formal cryptanalytic experience but was trained on the job by LT Dennis, USN the Asiatic CIU’s OIC.
Continue reading “History of U.S. Marine Corps COMINT Effort (Part 6 of 6)”
Personnel and Perception Problems
During the late 1930’s, fundamental issues arose which ultimately resulted in the withdrawal, until World War II, of enlisted marine intercept operators for COMINT operations. The similarly of background of both marine intercept operators and general service communications personnel at Shanghai and Peiping gave rise to certain perception among the intercept operators as described in a CinCAF inspection report of Shanghai, probably written in late 1935, which stated:
Continue reading “History of U.S. Marine Corps COMINT Effort (Part 5 of 6)”
LT Harry Rakfeldt (Ret.) enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1954, advanced to Chief Cryptologic Technician Interpreter (CTIC) in 1965, and was selected as a Warrant Officer in 1967 before being commissioned as a Limited Duty Officer (LDO). He holds a special connection to IWTC Monterey, having served as the command’s first Officer in Charge when it was established as a Detachment in February 1976. He is also credited with acquiring one of the anchors that stands proudly in front of the old headquarters building. The following is LT Rakfeldt’s personal account of his recent return to Monterey—49 years after his retirement in August 1976.
Continue reading “First OIC of NSGD Monterey Returns after 49 Years”
The Battle of Mogadishu, fought on October 3–4, 1993, remains one of the most intense and heroic engagements involving U.S. forces since the Vietnam War. The battle took place in Mogadishu, Somalia, during Operation Gothic Serpent, a mission launched by U.S. and United Nations forces to capture Somali warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid and stabilize the region during a time of famine and civil unrest.
Continue reading “Remembering The Battle of Mogadishu, Also known as “Black Hawk Down””
Sgt Lesko – The First Intercept Operator at Shanghai
Shanghai’s allowance of one sergeant and eight enlisted Marines was basically the same as the Peiping site. The first marine intercept operator assigned to Shanghai was then Sgt Stephen Lesko. He reported to Headquarters Company, 4th Marines on June 12, 1935, from the USS AUGUSTA (CA 31) were he had served as part of a COMINT direct support complement. Upon completing his early tour of duty at Peiping, then Cpl Lesko had returned to the U.S. and attended the Radio Material School at Bellevue where he was promoted to Sgt.
Continue reading “History of U.S. Marine Corps COMINT Effort (Part 4 of 6)”
Station HYPO 