Personal Narrative Film, Video Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing Ann Caracristi Collection
Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: World War, 1939-1945
- Location of Service: Washington, DC
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/30844
In her senior year of college, Ann Caracristi was recruited for wartime intelligence work in Washington. She joined the Signals Intelligence Service, which spent much of the war breaking down codes the Japanese military was using. Caracristi enjoyed her time in wartime Washington, but she didn't understand how much she enjoyed the work until after the war. When she returned to the "real world" and found work there unchallenging, she returned to government intelligence and made it her career for the next forty years. (Also included on her tape is a brief interview with Jack Ingram of the National Cryptologic Museum.)
Interview / Recording
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PlayHow she was recruited out of college for the Signals Intelligence Service; moving to Washington, DC; training by working on puzzles; assigned to work on Japanese documents. 00:00:59.5 - 00:08:09.1
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PlayDescribing an additive system of codes. 00:08:15.7 - 00:10:15.7
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PlayA "eureka" moment in her work; uncovering an enciphering system; working with military men; how her office's work contributed to the war effort. 00:12:48.0 - 00:17:24.4
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PlayLife in wartime Washington. 00:17:38.0 - 00:20:04.6
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PlaySecurity encouraged socializing with her colleagues; interesting mix of people in the office, all of them very bright. 00:23:12.2 - 00:26:40.6
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PlayWhy she left the service after the war ended, assuming the need for intelligence would diminish; why she returned to work in intelligence for the next forty years. 00:00:05.4 - 00:02:13.8
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PlayA high point of her work during the war: V-J Day and the euphoria that accompanied it. 00:03:30.7 - 00:06:23.8
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PlayCamaraderie of the women she worked with; no competition other than to be first to solve a problem. 00:06:32.2 - 00:07:48.3
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About this Item
Title
- Ann Caracristi Collection
Names
- Caracristi, Ann
- Sewell, Leslie
- The History Project-Documentary Production
Home State
- Washington (D.C.)
Headings
- - Caracristi, Ann
- - World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal Narratives
- - Army Signal Intelligence Service -- Personal Narratives
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Female
Status
- civilian
Service History
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World War, 1939-1945
- Location of Service: Washington, DC
- Military Status: civilian
Materials
- Manuscript: Transcript [1 item] -- Transcription of video recording (collected unknown)
- Video: Betacam SP [3 items] -- Oral history interview (collected unknown)
- Video: VHS [1 item] -- Reference copy (collected 2006-03-03)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/30844
Cite as
- Ann Caracristi Collection (AFC/2001/001/30844), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- image
- online text
- video