Date: Tuesday, June 4, 2024
Location: Zoom Virtual Lecture
Time: 7:30 pm (EDT)
Students of US naval history are more than familiar with the stunning victory at Midway in early June of 1942. The victory, due to its importance, has achieved an iconic status. The battle resulted in the sinking of four Japanese aircraft carriers (three in less than 25 minutes) and marked the high tide of the Japan’s march across the Pacific. The victory, as all battlefield triumphs, was won by dedicated soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines.
However, while most are aware of the stunning aspects of the military victory, many are not as well informed on the many cryptologic successes that led to US forces being in the right place at the right time. Patrick Weadon joins us to shed light on the incredible work done decades before the attack on Pearl Harbor by Laurence F. Safford, Joseph Rochefort, Agnes Myer Driscoll, and Harry Kidder, and other cryptologic pioneers. Their efforts laid the groundwork that eventually allowed the United States, to gain “a priceless advantage,” not only at Midway but in countless battles in the Pacific Theater during WWII.
Registration required. Registration closes one half-hour prior to lecture.
Cost: $15 per household for General Admission; $10 per household for HA Members, Military, and HA Docents
Can’t watch the lecture live? The lecture will be recorded! All registrants will receive a link to the recording of the lecture to watch at their convenience for two weeks. Live closed captioning is available for all lectures
This lecture will be offered virtually by Zoom. Upon registration, you will be sent the link for the video conference to join on the evening of the lecture. If you do not receive your confirmation email after you register, please check your Spam folder, or email Cara Garside at cara.garside@annapolis.org. To learn more about Zoom and to download the app to your computer, visit the Zoom website.
About Our Presenter: Patrick Weadon served as curator for the National Security Agency’s (NSA) National Cryptologic Museum from January of 2005 to September of 2020. Prior to his appointment as chief of the museum Mr. Weadon spent 20 years at the NSA where he served in such diverse positions as Special Agent, Intelligence Research Analyst, and Public Affairs Officer. He also served on active duty with the United States Navy in the days and months following September 11th, 2001. Before coming to the Agency, he interned during the Carter Administration at the President’s Council on Environmental Quality and worked on Capital Hill for Legislate Inc., a division of the Washington Post Company.
Mr. Weadon holds a B.A. in Politics from the Catholic University of America, an M.A. in Legal and Ethical studies from the University of Baltimore, and an MA in history from American University. Mr. Weadon also served as an adjunct professor in the Department of History for Anne Arundel Community College from 2009 until 2013, and in 2003, he was inducted into the nationally recognized history honor society, Phi Alpha Theta.
During his tenure as curator, Mr. Weadon was prominently featured in the New York Times, Baltimore Sun and a wide range of other diverse print and broadcast media outlets to include National Public Radio, the History and Discovery Channels and the Tokyo Broadcast System. In addition, he is the two-time winner of the George Jelen Literature Achievement Award for excellence in matters dealing with OPSEC (Operations Security) and has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun, and The Annapolis Capitol.
Mr. Weadon is a native of Washington D.C and currently resides with his wife Catherine and four children in Severna Park, Maryland. He is an avid sports fan having played both ice hockey and lacrosse during his college years and served for many years as coach for both sports on the youth level for the Severna Park Green Hornets and Navy Youth Hockey program.
The information contained in the HA Virtual Lecture series represents the historical research, views and opinions of the lecture presenter and may not represent the views or opinions of Historic Annapolis, Inc.