Herbert Yardley - After The Black Chamber

After The Black Chamber

Yardley did cryptologic work for Canada (although pressure from the U.S. on the Canadian government meant this was limited) and China during World War II, but he was never again given a position of trust in the U.S. government. Despite this, in 1999 he was given a place in the National Security Agency Hall of Honor.

None of Yardley's many later attempts at writing were as successful as The American Black Chamber, though he published several articles and three spy/mystery novels (The Blonde Countess, Red Sun of Nippon, and Crows Are Black Everywhere). He contributed as a writer and technical advisor to several movies, including Rendezvous, based very loosely on one of his novels, The Blonde Countess. His 1957 book on poker, Education of a Poker Player, which combined poker stories with the math behind the poker strategies, sold well. Another book of cryptographic memoirs, The Chinese Black Chamber, about his work in China, was declassified and published in 1983.

Yardley died on August 7, 1958, nearly a week after having a major stroke. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Grave 429-1 of Section 30.

Yardley is a member of the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame.

The National Cryptologic Museum's library has 16 boxes of Yardley's personal files.