# FSG Minutes # National Cryptologic Museum, VF 10-8 # # Transcribed by J. A. Reeds, 15 Nov 1998 # editorial marks: # lines beginning with # are mine. # in typed documents, matter in single brackets [thus] is handwritten # my comments are in [[double brackets]] # # Many typewritten sheets on are on letterhead: # # HEADQUARTERS ARLINGTON HALL STATION # OFFICE OF THE COMMANDING OFFICER # ARLINGTON, VA. # # Items on such letter head are marked LETTERHEAD # Handwritten meeting announcement recycled as cover sheet NOTICE VOYNICH MS. RESEARCH GROUP. Upstairs ROOM 214. # 2 page typewritten memo. on LETTERHEAD SPSIS-3 23 May 1944. MEMORANDUM for: I am thinking of organizing a small group of people who might be interested in an "extra-curricular" piece of research on an old manuscript which is apparently cryptographic in nature and which, I am satisfied, has not been deciphered. Would you be interested in joining such a group, the investigation to be conducted on our own time, outside of office hours? If so, it is requested that you phone me or my secretary (Ext. 215), indicating that you would be interested in attending the first meeting of the group, at the time and place indicated below. William F. Friedman, Director of Communications Research. Time and Date: 1700 on 26 May 44. Place : My office, Room 116, Headquarters Building. # 3 pages of pencil notes on 5" by 7" paper. 1 [[circled page number]] 26 May 1944 Meeting of the Voynich MS Research Group Met at 5 p.m. in the Chapel at A.H.S. W.F.F. led discussion giving history of M.S. Prof. Newbold method anagramming Feely method abbreviation expansion Frequency count and repetitions quite various. are word-like 3 of 17 letters No plant or biological drawing identifiable (American [[???] Society) although Jan. issue of Speculum states certain ones are Western Hemi. plants. 13th or 14th century -- parchment or vellum No plain language except on last page -- modern writing ? Some few possible. 2 [[circled page number]] (Dr. Calvin Brown B III ask?) numbers. Dr. ____ Dr. Rickert [[??]] accompanied WFF at Phila in 1923 to hear Newbold. Cannot add anything else. Procedure. 1. Establish frequency count on sound basis. 2. Use medieval quill pen practice to copy writing. 3. Get photograph of original. 4. Paleographer to identify writing. 5. Ancient astronomy experts & botanists, medieval philosophy to examine. Any in post? 6. Reference books -- Lt. Lane to prepare list of medieval reference books Dr. Peterson at Catholic University supplied complete photo- stat and has studied same and will make his notes available. Ink of various colors. 3 [[circled page number]] Samples passed out. Each to prepare list of characters. Next meeting in about 2 weeks to be notified 2 or 3 days ahead. Adjourned at 5.55 PM. # Typewritten memo on LETTERHEAD 26 May 1944. The first meeting of the Voynich Manuscript Research Group was held in the Chapel of Headquarters Building at 1700 this date. The group meet at the suggestion of Mr. William F. Friedman, Director of Communications Research, who had issued the attached invitation. The following people were in attendance: Name Branch A.H.Phone Mr. William F. Friedman HQ 215 Mr. Robert O. Ferner B-III 378 Mr. Thomas A. Miller B-IV 323 Mr. William M. Seaman B-III 314 Miss Helen Bradley B-III 312 Miss Frances M. Puckett C-IV 262 Lt. Colonel John McGrail D 291 Captain Arnold I. Dumey B-III 142 Captain Mark Rhoads HQ 215 1st Lt. George E. McCracken B-III 378 2nd Lt. Mary C. Lane B-III 329 Dr. Albert Howard Carter B-III 378 Dr. Robert A. Caldwell C-III 378 Dr. Martin Joos B-III 378 Dr. Margaret J. Reckert B-III 312 Sgt. Paul R. Reimers C-IV 262 Mr. Friedman outlined the history of the mysterious old manuscript and the attempts made toward solution to date as given in the following publications: "The Most Mysterious Manuscript in the World", an article by J. M. Manly, Harpers Magazine, 1922. "The Cipher of Roger Bacon", W. M. Newbold, Philadelphia, 1928. "Roger Bacon and the Voynich M.S.", J. M. Manly, article in the Speculum, July 1931. "Roger Bacon's Cypher", J. M. Feely, Rochester, N. Y., 1943. "Botanical Observations on the Voynich M.S.", Hugh O'Neill, article in the Speculum, January 1944. A photostatic copy of the M.S. in book form lent by Dr. Petersen of Catholic University was examined and individual photostated sample sheets were given out. Tentative suggestions of procedure were given as follows: a. Establish frequency count and repetitions on a sound basis. b. Research on medieval quill pen technique. c. Get photograph of original. d. Attempt to identify the date of the M.S. from the original vellum or parchment, and the style of writing thereon. e. Attempt to identify the drawings of an astronomical and botanical nature. f. Compilation of a list of medieval reference books. g. To meet again in about two weeks. The meeting adjourned at 1755. Mark Rhoads. Captain, U. S. Army, Retired. # handwritten draft of above memo, with a few minor wording differences. # typewritten phone sheet + 2 carbon copies. Original and one # carbon with annotations. One carbon unannotated. VOYNICH MS RESEARCH GROUP Name Branch AH Phone Mr. William F. Friedman HQ 215 Captain Mark Rhoads HQ 215 Lt. Colonel John McGrail D 291 2nd Lt. Mary C. Lane B-III 329 Miss Helen Bradley B-III 312 Dr. Robert A. Caldwell B-III 378 Dr. Albert Howard Carter B-III 378 Dr. Margaret J. Reckert B-III 312 Captain Arnold I. Dumey B-III 142 Mr. Robert O. Ferner B-III 378 Mr. William M. Seaman B-III 314 1st Lt. George E. McCracken B-III 378 Dr. Calvin Brown B-III Miss Frances M. Puckett C-IV 262 Sgt. Paul R. Reimers C-IV 262 Dr. Martin Joos F 284 Lt. Charles R. Summers F 284 Mr. Lipsky F 284 Mr. Thomas A. Miller B-IV 323 # top copy of this phone sheet, with following annotations: [[check mark after Friedman's name]] [Room A-2206] [[after Bradley's branch]] [Room A-2206] [[after Brown's branch]] [[Reimers's entry crossed out]] [[Lipsky's entry edited to read:]] Mr. Lipsky [, Albert B.] [Temp.]F [(Perm C)] 284 [[Added entries:]] [Dr. R. P. Oliver B-III Room A-2206] [Sgt. Irwin P. Shapiro F. (Perm. C) ] [[At bottom of page:]] [(Aubrey Diller B-III (Capt. Dumey, sec.)] # carbon copy of this phone sheet, with following annotations: [[ rank added after Reimers's name: ]] [(T-4)] [[ given name supplied after Lipsky: ]] [Abbott B.] [[ added entries: ]] [Dr. R. P. Oliver B-III Room A 2206] [T/5 Shapiro] # handwritten sign-up sheet, with names numbered ex-post facto # evidently, at the 9 June 1944 meeting Name Branch 8 G. E. McCracken B 13 M. Reckert B 3 Thomas A. Miller B 10 Albert Howard Carter B Hilarious Arlingtoniensis X alias Adolf Menjou [[crossed out]] [[this item in Friedman's hand ?]] 4 Helen J. Bradley B 16 Calvin S. Brown B 11 Robert A. Caldwell B 2 Robert O. Ferner B 6 John McGrail D 5 Frances M. Puckett C 14 Mr. Abbott B. Lipsky C (F temp.) 15 1st Lt. C. R. Summers F 12 Martin Joos F 9 Mary C. Lane B 1 Friedman [[in Rhoads's hand]] 7 Rhoads [[in Rhoads's hand]] (Seaman had to be away) [[crossed out]] also Sgt. Reimers. [[crossed out]] Dumey (?) [[in Friedman's hand]] # carbon of memorandum, on LETTERHEAD SPSIS-3 6 June 1944 MEMORANDUM for The next meeting of the Voynich Manuscript Research Group will be held at: 1700, 9 June 1944, Chapel, Headquarters Building. For the Director of Communications Research: Mark Rhoads, Assistant Director of Communications Research. # typewritten, on LETTERHEAD 9 June 1944. The second meeting of the Voynich Manuscript Research Group was held in Room 214, Headquarters Building, at 1700 this date. The following were present: Name Branch Mr. William F. Friedman HQ Mr. Robert O. Ferner B-III Mr. Thomas A. Miller B-IV Miss Helen J. Bradley [A-2206] B-III Miss Frances M. Puckett C-IV Lt. Colonel John McGrail D Captain Mark Rhoads HQ 1st Lt. George E. McCracken B-III 2nd Lt. Mary C. Lane B-III Dr. Albert Howard Carter B-III Dr. Robert A. Caldwell B-III Dr. Martin Joos F Dr. Margaret J. Reckert B-III 1st Lt. Charles R. Summers F Mr. Abbott B. Lipsky C (F temporarily) Mr. Calvin S. Brown [A-2206] B Mr. Friedman read a letter received from Mrs. Voynich and his reply thereto. He then read a translation from the Latin of the original note attached to the manuscript, dated 1665, and the short article from the Speculum of January 1944, "Botanical Observations on the Voynich MS" by Hugh O'Neill, mentioned in the minutes of the first meeting. The conclusion reached in the latter was that the manuscript must have been written after 1493. The interpretation of the characters was then taken up and agreement reached as to their composition. The meeting adjourned at 1825. Mark Rhoads, Captain, U. S. Army, Retired. # handwritten minutes in Rhoads's hand Meeting at 5 PM 9 June in Room 214 Hq. Read "amusing document". Read Mrs. Voynich letter & reply. Read photostat of translation of Latin from Newbold book of accompanying letter to. Read note re plants from Speculum Jan. 1944. Interpretation of characters. Feely -- list Read Seaman's note. F's observations -- diagram of evils on p: 4 ages of man = 68 years but characters do not all appear in text. use of greek letter spelled out partly & straight cipher other Seaman list & agree List mimeograph Next meeting in 1 week. # typewritten memo on LETTERHEAD 13 June 1944 MEMORANDUM for Subject: Meeting of Voynich MS Research Group The next meeting of the Voynich MS Research Group will take place at 1700, 16 June 1944, in Room 214, Headquarters Building. Please bring all photostats of manuscript pages. For the Director of Communications Research: Mark Rhoads, Captain, U. S. Army, retired, Assistant. Attached: Tentative List of Characters. # typewritten memo on LETTERHEAD SPSIS-3 16 June 1944 The third meeting of the Voynich MS Research Group met in Room 214, Headquarters Building, at 1700 this date. The following people were present: Mr. William F. Friedman Dr. Albert Howard Carter Dr. Margaret J. Reckert Mr. Thomas A. Miller Sgt. Irvin P. Shapiro Mr. Albert B. Lipsky Miss Frances M. Puckett Miss Helen J. Bradley Dr. Robert A. Caldwell Mr. Robert O. Ferner Mr. William M. Seaman Dr. R. P. Oliver Captain Mark Rhoads Mr. Friedman announced that the owners of the MS were sending a photographic copy of the MS for the use of the Group. Various photostat sheets of the MS were handed out for transcription and frequency count. Miss Puckett told about the John Dee cipher and that photographs were being obtained. Mr. Friedman stated that a copy of Kirch's [[sic]] book on crypto- graphy was being obtained. Possibility of obtaining a frequency count of Medieval Latin and also of some of Roger Bacon's writings was discussed. The meeting adjourned at 1800. Mark Rhoads, Capt., U. S. Army, Retired. # handwritten minutes of 3d meeting, in Rhoads's hand, mostly identical with # typed version. # draft minutes of 3d meeting, in Rhoads's hand: 3rd meeting 1700 16 June 44 Room 214 Read reply from Miss Nill, sending copy of MS from public library Passed out sheets for 1 page to 2 people to transcribe one page & frequency count. Miss Puckett told of John Dee cipher, getting photographs. Getting Kirch's book on cryptography. Frequency counts of Medieval Latin Also of some of Roger Bacon's writings. Adjourned 1800 # sheet of graph paper 16 June 44 1. Carter & Reckert 111r 2. Miller & (Lane) 105 3. Shapiro & Lipsky 2r and 4. Puckett & (Reimers) 112r 5. (Brown) & Bradley 107r 6. Caldwell & (McCracken) 106v 7. Ferner & Seaman 110v R. P. Oliver A-2206 83r, 87r (absent) # typewritten memo on LETTERHEAD SPSIS-3 21 June 1944. MEMORANDUM for The next meeting of the Voynich Manuscript Research Group will be held at: 1700, 23 June 1944. Chapel, Headquarters Building. For the Director of Communications Research: Mark Rhoads, Assistant Director of Communications Research. # carbon copy of 21 June 1944 memo. # typewritten memo on LETTERHEAD SPSIS-3 23 June 1944. The fourth meeting of the Voynich MS Research Group met in Room 214, Headquarters Building, at 1700 this date. The following people were present: Mr. William F. Friedman Dr. Robert A. Caldwell 1st Lt. George E. McCracken Dr. Margaret J. Reckert Dr. R. P. Oliver Miss Helen J. Bradley Mr. Robert O. Ferner Dr. Calvin Brown Mr. William M. Seaman T/4 Paul R. Reimers Miss Frances M. Puckett Mr. Thomas A. Miller Dr. Martin Joos Mr. Albert B. Lipsky T/3 Irvin P. Shapiro 2nd Lt. Mary C. Lane Captain Mark Rhoads Transcriptions and distributions were discussed and previous character designations were not changed. It was decided to continue individual page transcriptions and distributions. It was noted that distribution of beginning letters of Medieval Latin text closely resembled that of the MS. The meeting adjourned at 1810. Mark Rhoads, Capt., U. S. Army, Retired. # 2 page handwritten draft of 23 June memo. # typewritten memo, on LETTERHEAD SPSIS-3 28 June 1944. MEMORANDUM for Subject: Meeting of Voynich MS Research Group. The next meeting of the Voynich MS Research Group will be held on 30 June 1944 in Room 214, Headquarters Building, at 1700. For the Director of Communications Research: Mark Rhoads, Capt., U. S. Army, Retired. # carbon copy of typewritten memo, on LETTERHEAD SPSIS-3 7 July 1944. MEMORANDUM for Although the next meeting of the Voynich MS Research Group will not be held until about August 1, it is requested that you do not wait until then to send in completed trans- criptions. Please send these in as completed in order that too much material need not be sent to the Machine Room at any one time for processing. Mark Rhoads, Assistant Director of Communications Research. # back of unused mimeographed routing slip, 4" by 5.25" 29 Sept 44 [[2nd 4 damaged by hole punch]] 1 copy of IBM run to Mr. Livesky at F branch who is to get original transcription from Capt. Dewey and make preliminary study and make report next week. MR [I got [[with arrow to Capt. Dewey]] ] # pencil scribbles on lined paper Sec. Section Picnic -- Lower Room Wed. 2 August 1700 [[these 3 lines crossed out]] [[ rest of writing sideways]] Dewey IBM 27 July 44 Shapiro Folio 3v 3r 4v 4r 5v 5r 6v 6r (7r?) 7v 8v 8r Brown 105v 106r # pencil on back of unused green paper routing slip # top in Rhoads's hand, bottom in Friedman's hand 4 Dec 44 Mr. Lipsky was in to report on the study of the IBM runs on the Voynich MS. with no conclusion reached. Suggests we IBM rest of the transcription in the same manner then call a meeting to which he will be glad to report findings. We could then pass out the IBM runs lack to those who prepared the original trans- cripts for concentrated study. MR [[handwriting shifts to Friedman's]] Yes. I think we should get started again. Pse take care of this for me. F. # carbon of typewritten LETTERHEAD memo. 11 December 1944 MEMORANDUM for Subject: Voynich Manuscript Research Group Meeting. 1. The Voynich Manuscript Research Group will resume meetings on Friday, 15 December 1944, at 1700, in Room 214, Headquarters Building. 2. An interesting report will be made by Mr. Friedman. Mark Rhoads, Captain, U. S. Army, Retired. # pencil notes (or draft for typist) by Rhoads Call meeting of Voynich MS group for Friday Dec 15 at 1700 Rm 214 Hq Bldg Study on the Voynich MS will be resumed. Mr. Friedman will have something of interest to report. MR. Capt. USA Ret. Send to all names and verify present location (physical) for proper mail routing. # pencil minutes by Rhoads Meeting 15 Dec. 1700 Wilkins book -- universal language Similarity to Voynich MS characteristics --- Beginnings, frequencies, no of symbols endings, lengths of words Present-- Seaman Brown Caldwell Puckett Miller Shapiro Hitt Fried Maj. Green Miss Betts Friedman Rhoads [[these words floating to right of name list:]] All agreed to similarity & felt encouraged Adjourned 1800 # pencil minutes by Rhoads Meeting 22 Dec. Present: Ferner McCracken Seaman Lane Puckett Shapiro Lipsky Engel Hitt Belts Friedman Rhoads Passed out new IBM material. Next meeting after New Year. # pencil minutes by Rhoads Meeting 12 Jan '45 Seaman Lt. Reimers Caldwell Engel Fried Hitt Ferner Lipsky Betts McCracken Puckett Friedman Shapiro Rhoads Delgrano book (1661). In Latin. Report given by Lt. McCracken. Compare with Wilkins book. Very similar but older. Not so closely analogous to Voynich MS as Wilkins book. Miss Puckett reported (for her group) on frequency studies of a section of MS. (charts attached). She requested different IBM runs. New IBM runs on same [[some??]] material agreed to (but no integration of the whole yet.) # pencil minutes by Rhoads 16 Jan 45 Fried got 005 message print & frequency count. He turned in frequency tables (IBM) similar to Miss Puckett's group on 004. I turned over to Miss Puckett's group Frieds frequency count - message print & frequency table (IBM) to her if 005. Also complete photostat MS on loan until Saturday 20 Jan # pencil on verso of 4" by 6" paper slip # (with non-VMS ink handwriting crossed out on recto)s 10 Feb 45 Lent Miss Puckett Voynich MS & 2nd copy of latest IBM runs. MR # typed note on 3" by 5" paper slip 31 August 1945 Capt. Rhoads: With reference to books requested, the following are in reference collections: Cappelli, A. Lexicon abbreviaturarum Martin, C. T. Record interpreter. If three days' use of them would be sufficient for your purposes, I might be able to get them upon special plea. The other works wanted are coming through. Lester Condit. # handwriting on green 3" by 5" card Came Capt Dumey Helen Bradley Robert Caldwell A. H. Carter Robert Ferner Capt. McCracken Mr. Miller Miss Rickert Mr. Seaman Lt. Lane Martin Joos Plus # typed on white 3" by 5" card (with hand corrections) Some scholars versed in medieval Latin, paleography, history, and allied subjects: Dr. Caleb Bevans Miss Helen Bradley Dr. Robert Caldwell Dr. Albert Howard Carter Dr. Vista Clayton Mr. John Coddington Dr. Martin Joos Dr. Margaret Rickert Capt. Arnold Dumey [[rest of text in Friedman's handwriting]] Mr. Albert Small Mr. Robert S. Ferner Lieut. Col. A. J. McGrail Major William F. Edgerton Lt. Lane Capt MacCracken # mimeographed "Voynich Manuscript Alphabet for Transcription" # photostat of "Voynich Manuscript Alphabet for Transcription" # pencil notes on graph paper in (???) Puckett's handwriting? About year 1000 Pope Sylvester II used syllable cipher (p. 13 Die Anfa"nge etc.) Consider use of nulls - p.53 all text between to be disregarded Milan 14 # pencil VMS letters on sheet of graph paper. Character inventory? # two page carbon of "SOME IMPRESSIONS OF THE VOYNICH MANUSCRIPT" by # Albert Howard Carter. # 5 pages of VMS transcription on long graph paper, of f106v # in margin: "C. S. Brown, Lot #3" # 10 pages of VMS transcription on long graph paper, of f83v-86 # in margin: "Lieut. Summers, Lot #5", dated 21 Aug 44.