Nuclear Museum Logo
Nuclear Museum Logo

National Museum of Nuclear Science & History

Robert Lamphere (1918-2002) supervised many investigations of Soviet spies during the Cold War. He served as the FBI’s liaison to the top-secret Venona Project, which worked to break Soviet codes and revealed the extent of Soviet espionage in the United States.

His early espionage cases focused on those who attempted to infiltrate the Manhattan Project. In 1950, his interrogation of Klaus Fuchs in London led to the identification and arrest of Harry Gold, David Greenglass, and Julius and Ethel Rosenberg.

Robert Lamphere’s Timeline
1918 Feb 14th Born in Wardner, Idaho.

1941 Sep Joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

1947 Transferred to FBI headquarters as a Supervisory Special Agent and placed in charge of counterintelligence on satellite countries of the USSR.

1948 Began work on top-secret Venona project to decode Soviet intelligence cables.

1950 May Interrogated Klaus Fuchs in London.

1955 Left the FBI.

2002 Jan 7th Died of prostate cancer in Tucson, Arizona.

Related Profiles

James B. Conant

Cambridge, MA

James Bryant Conant (1893-1978) was an American chemist and government official.  Early Years Conant was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts, and attended the Roxbury Latin School.

Robert Furman

Alsos Mission

Robert Furman (1915 – 2008) was a civil engineer and Chief of Foreign intelligence during the Manhattan Project.

Tony Essaye

Washington, DC

Tony Essaye was born in London, England but grew up in the U.S. after being evacuated during World War II.

Harold W. Kirby

Washington, DC

Harold W. Kirby served in the 1st Ordnance Squadron.