ABSTRACT
Determining when, where, and by whom the first electronic digital computer was invented is a daunting task as described by A. R. Burks, the author of Who Invented the Computer? [1]. The history of this revolutionary development is surrounded by the events of World War II and clouded by the secrecy required by advanced-level military research. The race to decode enemy communications, to develop reliable ballistic tables, and to build the first rockets and warheads brought together some of the most brilliant mathematicians and engineers of the 20th century. Their work, sometimes in collaboration, while at other times independently, led in fits and starts to the invention of electronic digital computers, the fore runners of the computers we enjoy today. What follows is a brief discussion of some of their most significant and hard-won contributions.
