Herbert Yardley

Herbert Osborn Yardley was an American cryptologist. He founded and led the cryptographic organization the Black Chamber. Under Yardley, the cryptanalysts of The American Black Chamber broke Japanese diplomatic codes and were able to furnish American negotiators with significant information during the Washington Naval Conference of 1921–1922. Recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal. He wrote The American Black Chamber (1931) about his experiences there. He later helped the Nationalists in China (1938–1940) to break Japanese codes. Following his work in China, Yardley worked briefly for the Canadian government, helping it set up a cryptological section of the National Research Council of Canada from June to December 1941. Yardley was reportedly let go due to pressure either from the Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson or from the British.

13 April 1889

Born on the same birth day (13 April): Alexander Mitchell (engineer) • Antonio Meucci • Butch Cassidy • Circle Repertory Company • Danie Mellor • Félicien David • Jean-Marc Reiser • Jeanne Guyon • John T. Biggers • John W. Davis • Josephine Butler • Lorenzo Cain • Philip Norman (author) • Pierre Rosenberg • Robert Scholl • Robert Watson-Watt • Rosemary Haughton • Rudi Völler • Vladimir Cosma

Born in the same month (April 1889): Adolf Hitler • Albert Jean Amateau • Anita Loos • Efrem Zimbalist • Gabriela Mistral • Grigoraș Dinicu • Jessie Street • Karel Doorman • Lyubov Popova • Marcel Boussac • Otto Georg Thierack • Paul Karrer • Stafford Cripps • Tonny Kessler