James Walter Miller
Encyclopedia
James Walter Miller was an American citizen and an alleged asset of the San Francisco Office of the KGB
from 1943 to 1945. Miller worked in the United States Government wartime mail censorship office. Miller was allegedly recruited into espionage
for the Soviet Union
by Isaac Folkoff
of the Communist Party of the United States of America (CPUSA). His cover name was "Vague".
Miller was born in Russia
, and became a member of the Communist Party in Los Angeles after coming to the United States. Miller was associated with Victor Milo while in the California Communist Party. Miller at one time had worked for Russky Golos (Russian Voice), the American-Russian Institute, and People's World.
Miller was one of Folkoff's most valuable agents. Miller spoke Russian, and was a Russian-language translator with the financial and trade section of the U.S. government wartime mail censorship office. Miller worked in an area of considerable interest to Soviet intelligence. In 1943 Folkoff passed on to the KGB material from Miller on several occasions. San Francisco Rezident Grigory Kheifets
attested to Miller's bone fides in a Venona decrypt, putting to rest reservations from Moscow that because of Miller's eagerness, he may be a double agent.
Miller began passing information to Harrison George
at the People's World. In 1943 Miller reported the Mail Censor's office found secret writing in a letter that a Naval GRU
Officer sent to Moscow. In 1944 Miller came to the attention of the FBI in the “Comintern Apparatus” investigation. The FBI witnessed Miller meeting Kheifets at least six times in early 1944. Miller was eventually forced out of the government office.
decryptions:
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
from 1943 to 1945. Miller worked in the United States Government wartime mail censorship office. Miller was allegedly recruited into espionage
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
for the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
by Isaac Folkoff
Isaac Folkoff
Isaac "Pop" Folkoff was a senior founding member of the California Communist Party and West Coast liaison between Soviet intelligence and the Communist Party USA . Folkoff was in charge of West Coast operations. Folkoff worked as a courier passing information to and from Soviet sources, and as a...
of the Communist Party of the United States of America (CPUSA). His cover name was "Vague".
Miller was born in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, and became a member of the Communist Party in Los Angeles after coming to the United States. Miller was associated with Victor Milo while in the California Communist Party. Miller at one time had worked for Russky Golos (Russian Voice), the American-Russian Institute, and People's World.
Miller was one of Folkoff's most valuable agents. Miller spoke Russian, and was a Russian-language translator with the financial and trade section of the U.S. government wartime mail censorship office. Miller worked in an area of considerable interest to Soviet intelligence. In 1943 Folkoff passed on to the KGB material from Miller on several occasions. San Francisco Rezident Grigory Kheifets
Grigory Kheifets
Grigory Kheifets, also known as Grigori Kheifetz, was the San Francisco KGB station chief, or Rezident, from December 1941 until July 1944.-California on the Crimea:...
attested to Miller's bone fides in a Venona decrypt, putting to rest reservations from Moscow that because of Miller's eagerness, he may be a double agent.
Miller began passing information to Harrison George
Harrison George
Harrison George was a senior Communist Party of the United States leader, editor of the party's West Coast newspaper, People's World, and member of the Comintern's Pan-Pacific Trade Union Secretariat ....
at the People's World. In 1943 Miller reported the Mail Censor's office found secret writing in a letter that a Naval GRU
GRU
GRU or Glavnoye Razvedyvatel'noye Upravleniye is the foreign military intelligence directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation...
Officer sent to Moscow. In 1944 Miller came to the attention of the FBI in the “Comintern Apparatus” investigation. The FBI witnessed Miller meeting Kheifets at least six times in early 1944. Miller was eventually forced out of the government office.
Venona
James Walter Miller is referenced in the following Venona projectVenona project
The VENONA project was a long-running secret collaboration of the United States and United Kingdom intelligence agencies involving cryptanalysis of messages sent by intelligence agencies of the Soviet Union, the majority during World War II...
decryptions:
- 450 KGB San Francisco to Moscow, 1 November 1943
- 472 KGB San Francisco to Moscow, 9 November 1943
- 511 KGB San Francisco to Moscow, 7 December 1943
- 539 KGB San Francisco to Moscow, 31 December 1943
- 147 San Francisco to Moscow, 27 March 1944
- 68 KGB San Francisco to Moscow, 27 February 1945