Wilma Zimmerman Davis (31 March 1912 – 10 December 2001) was an early American codebreaker during World War II.

She graduated with a degree in Mathematics from Bethany College and successfully completed navy correspondence course in cryptology.

[3] She began her career as a leading cryptanalyst which spanned over 30 years in the United States Army Signal Intelligence Service (SIS), a predecessor of the National Security Agency (NSA) in the 1930s.

Wilma Davis worked as a cryptanalyst on the Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Russian problems.

Due to the demise of her mother, Wilma was responsible for taking care of the house while her siblings were in high school.

[4] Wilma Davis’ interest in cryptology was piqued after reading in the Washington Star about William and Elizabeth Friedman, who were American codebreakers.

Wilma was ecstatic about this opportunity, more so, because William Friedman and his wife were the major driving force of her cryptology interest.

In two years working in Department A, she was put in charge of the unit whose duty was to analyze and interpret the addresses which were linked to the messages of the Japanese military.

Wilma worked alongside Ann Caracristi, first female deputy of the NSA, to break the Japanese codes.

[7] Wilma was revered for her deep knowledge, prioritize assignments, successfully onboard new team members, and unwavering dedication to her work.

At the end of the war, she was requested to work on to the Chinese team which was led by Dr. Leslie Rutledge, an NSA scholar.

[8] Frank Rowlett had put Wilma in a difficult situation by asking her to take charge of the Chinese project and report back to him.

Wilma Davis worked on the Venona project until 1949, then got married and moved to Canada with her second husband, John Mason.

She relocated to Canada with John Mason, who died suddenly in summer of 1952 while visiting her sister, Helen, in Erie, Pennsylvania.

[2] Wilma returned to the US to continue her job as a cryptanalyst and married her third husband, John Davis, who was a Brigadier General.

[3] Wilma Davis is recognized as an Honoree of the Women in American Cryptology by the National Security Agency (NSA).