Women Cryptologists of World War II

First Day of Issue Date: October 18, 2022

First Day of Issue Location: Annapolis Junction, MD

During World War II, some 11,000 women labored day and night, helping to process and decipher an endless stream of enemy military messages. Their work was by turns frustrating and exhilarating—and one of the conflict’s best-kept secrets. With this stamp, the U.S. Postal Service honors all of the women cryptologists of World War II, whose service played an inestimable role in the Allied victory.

The stamp art features an image from a World War II–era WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Service) recruitment poster with an overlay of characters from the “Purple” code. The poster was designed by John Falter (1910–1982), who designed more than 300 recruiting posters during his military service. The Purple code was used by the Japanese government to encrypt diplomatic messages. Genevieve Grotjan, a cryptologist with the U.S. Army’s Signal Intelligence Service, discovered the key to cracking the code in September 1940. Her breakthrough allowed the United States to read and exploit the information conveyed in Japanese diplomatic messages for the duration of the war.

In the pane selvage, seemingly random letters (ZRPH QF UB SWRORJLVWV RIZRUOGZDULL, FLSKHU, DQDOBCH, and VHFUHW) can be deciphered to reveal some key words. The reverse side of the pane discloses the cipher needed to read the words.

Many women cryptologists were civilians recruited while still in college or working as schoolteachers. Thousands more were military personnel, volunteers who enlisted following the establishment of the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps in May 1942 and of the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service), part of the U.S. Naval Reserve, in July 1942.

They deciphered Japanese fleet communications, helped prevent German U-boats from sinking vital cargo ships, and worked to break the encryption systems that revealed Japanese shipping routes and diplomatic messages. They also built high-speed machines that allowed cryptologists to break German messages encrypted by the Enigma machine, intercepted enemy communications, and ensured that encrypted U.S. messages were secure and error-free—an early form of cybersecurity.

Sworn to secrecy under penalty of treason, the women cryptologists of World War II remained silent about their crucial and far-reaching contributions for decades. Today, they are widely considered STEM pioneers, especially because their wartime work coincided with the development of modern computer technology. Their contributions opened the door for women in the military and have helped shape intelligence and information security efforts for future generations.

Antonio Alcalá served as art director and designer for this stamp.

The Women Cryptologists of World War II stamp is being issued as a Forever® stamp. This Forever stamp will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail® one-ounce price.

Sheet of 20 Stamps

$12.60

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First Day Cover

Honor the thousands of American women cryptologists of World War II who played an inestimable role in the Allied Victory with this Women Cryptologists of WWII First Day Cover. The #6 ¾ envelope is affixed with a Forever® stamp cancelled with an official First Day of Issue postmark.

The mysterious stamp design helps collectors feel they are a part of this shadowy world. A period-accurate representation of a woman serving in the government is paired with scanned code to add texture and context to the stamp.

The postmark includes a coded message that contains the date and location of stamp issuance: October 18, 2022, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701.

$1.15

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Digital Color Postmark

The purple digital color postmark — representing the Japanese “Purple” code the women unlocked — includes a coded message that contains the date and location of stamp issuance: October 18, 2022, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701.

$2.00

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Press Sheet with Die Cuts

Eleven thousand American women cryptologists played a crucial role in the Allied victory during World War II. Their efforts were one of the conflict’s best-kept secrets. Now you can honor their service with this 12.62(w) x 22.75(h)-inch press sheet, containing six sheets of Women Cryptologists of WWII Forever® stamps positioned two across by three down.

$75.60

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Press Sheet without Die Cuts

*The stamps on these sheets do not contain perforations for mail use.

$75.60

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Stamp Ceremony Memento

Eleven thousand American women cryptologists played a crucial role in the Allied victory during World War II. Their efforts were one of the conflict’s best-kept secrets. Now you can honor their service with this unique Women Cryptologists of WWII Stamp Ceremony Memento.

This new collectible contains the First Day of Issue Ceremony Invitation, the First Day of Issue Ceremony Program, a Digital Color Postmark First Day Cover, and a pane of 20 Women Cryptologists of WWII Forever® stamps.

$27.95

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Framed Stamp

Honor the thousands of American women cryptologists of World War II who played an inestimable role in the Allied Victory with this new 9.5(w) x 11.5(h)-inch framed piece, which features the art from the Women Cryptologists of World War II stamp, plus a mounted Forever® stamp and the First Day of Issue details.

Presented in a classic black frame, the piece also includes a clear dust cover, protective felt bumpers, and a sawtooth hanger on the back for easy display.

$29.95

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American Commemorative Panel

This new American Commemorative Panel honors the women cryptologists of World War II. One of the conflict’s best-kept secrets, their service played an inestimable role in the Allied victory. This 8 ½ x 11 ¼-inch panel, printed on sturdy card stock, features a narrative about the womenwho helped to process and decipher an endless stream of enemy military messages. The panel also includes an intaglio-printed component designed specifically for the American Commemorative Panels® program.

The collectible panel is accompanied by a block of four Women Cryptologists of World War II Forever® stamps in a protective acetate mount.

Quantities are limited.

Women Cryptologists of World War II

Stamp Brief

First Day of Issue Ceremony

Stamp Artist

Antonio Alcalá

Stamp Art Director

Antonio Alcalá