Pel [Pal]

A cover name appearing in a number of NKGB foreign intelligence cables from 1942 to August 1944, which were partially decrypted in the course of the American Venona operation and released during 1995-1996. At the time of this release, “Pel” was identified by Venona translators as Nathan Gregory Silvermaster, a U.S. government economist who served as a leader of a Communist Party “informational group” from 1941 to 1945. From September 1944 on, a cover name for Silvermaster was “Robert.”