ASA

• Origins: The Army Security Agency (ASA) was established in 1945 as the United States Army’s premier signals intelligence (SIGINT) branch, inheriting the legacy of the WWII-era Signal Security Agency. • Secretive Motto: ASA’s unofficial motto was “In God We Trust, All Others We Monitor,” reflecting its mission of intercepting and analyzing enemy communications. • The Korean War: ASA units played a key role in the Korean War, providing critical intelligence through signal interception that helped shape U.S. military strategies. • Vietnam War “Ghosts”: During the Vietnam War, ASA personnel often operated in civilian clothing or with no standard unit insignia, earning nicknames like “Ghost Soldiers” due to their secrecy. • Project “Left Bank”: ASA ran clandestine operations such as “Project Left Bank,” which involved deep-penetration reconnaissance teams deployed behind enemy lines in Vietnam. • First to Use Computers: ASA was among the first military organizations to employ computers for cryptanalysis, using early machines like the IBM 704 in the 1950s. • Berlin Tunnel Operation: In the 1950s, ASA participated in Operation GOLD, the famed CIA-ASA joint project to tunnel into East Berlin and tap Soviet communications. • Distinctive Uniforms: At various times, ASA members wore unique uniforms and insignia, such as the “Lightning Bolt” patch, but were often required to blend in with regular army units for operational security. • Integration into INSCOM: In 1977, the ASA was dissolved and its mission absorbed by the newly created U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM), marking an end to the ASA name but not its legacy. • Notable Alumni: Many ASA veterans went on to prominent roles in national intelligence and security agencies, including the NSA and CIA, leveraging their technical expertise and clandestine experience.