Gontzoff, Vadim Feodor (39550802) - Revision history

Admin: Sort Timeline bullets chronologically

2026-09-23T04:17:48Z

Sort Timeline bullets chronologically

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:17, 23 September 2026
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	* 1938 — B.A., Columbia University; later Hollywood work as Victor Kendall.		* 1938 — B.A., Columbia University; later Hollywood work as Victor Kendall.
	* 30 December 1942 — Enlists, Los Angeles (ASN 39550802).		* 30 December 1942 — Enlists, Los Angeles (ASN 39550802).
			* 1943 — Camp Ritchie Class 6; named in 26 May 1943 VENONA Russian-section list.
	* 19 May 1943 — Naturalized, Hagerstown, Maryland (per VENONA comment).		* 19 May 1943 — Naturalized, Hagerstown, Maryland (per VENONA comment).
	* 1943 — Camp Ritchie Class 6; named in 26 May 1943 VENONA Russian-section list.
	* 1946 — Honorable discharge (second lieutenant).		* 1946 — Honorable discharge (second lieutenant).
	* 2 October 1997 — Died in New York City.		* 2 October 1997 — Died in New York City.

Admin: Admin moved page Gontzoff, Vadim F. (39550802) to Gontzoff, Vadim Feodor (39550802) without leaving a redirect: Expand documented middle name: Feodor

2026-09-20T20:13:10Z

Admin moved page Gontzoff, Vadim F. (39550802) to Gontzoff, Vadim Feodor (39550802) without leaving a redirect: Expand documented middle name: Feodor

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:13, 20 September 2026
(No difference)

Admin: RB Archive: Victor Kendall alias; VENONA Class 6; vitals

2026-09-19T03:19:37Z

RB Archive: Victor Kendall alias; VENONA Class 6; vitals

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:19, 19 September 2026
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	\|surname=Gontzoff		\|surname=Gontzoff
	\|first=Vadim		\|first=Vadim
	\|middle=F.		\|middle=Feodor
	\|class_section=10		\|class_section=10
	\|class_rank=Private		\|class_rank=Private
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	\|class_number=6		\|class_number=6
	\|class_display=6		\|class_display=6
			\|alias=Victor Kendall; Vadim Gontsov
			\|birth_date=23 February 1915
			\|birth_place=Moscow, Russia
			\|death_date=2 October 1997
			\|death_place=New York City
			\|rank_final=Second Lieutenant
	}}		}}

	<div class="soldier-lead">		<div class="soldier-lead">
	'''Vadim F. Gontzoff''' (1915–1997) was a ~~United States Army Private who trained at [[~~Camp Ritchie~~]], Maryland, in~~ [[Class 6]]. ~~Vadim enlisted at Los Angeles, California~~.		'''Vadim Feodor Gontzoff''' (stage name Victor Kendall; 23 February 1915–2 October 1997) was a Moscow-born actor and Camp Ritchie trainee ([[:Category:Class 6\|Class 6]]) who served as a U.S. Army second lieutenant.
	</div>		</div>

	== Biography ==		== Biography ==
	~~''Add a biography~~, ~~family details~~, and ~~sources~~. ~~Click Edit to change this page; no account is required~~.''		Vadim Feodor Gontzoff (stage name Victor Kendall) was born on 23 February 1915 in Moscow. His mother was opera singer Maria Kurenko and his father Feodor Gontzoff; after studies in France he graduated from Columbia University (B.A., 1938) and worked briefly in Hollywood films under the name Victor Kendall.

			He enlisted in the U.S. Army at Los Angeles on 30 December 1942 (ASN 39550802) and trained at [[Camp Ritchie]], Maryland, in [[:Category:Class 6\|Class 6]]. A declassified VENONA New York–Moscow cable of 26 May 1943 lists Vadim Gontsov among Russian-section graduates; NSA comments identify him as Vadim Feodor Gontzoff, stage name Victor Kendall, naturalized at Hagerstown, Maryland, on 19 May 1943. He was commissioned a second lieutenant and received an honorable discharge in 1946.

			After the war he worked for Radio Liberty / Voice of America and NBC, then as a classical music announcer at WTFM in New York. He died on 2 October 1997 in New York City.

	== Research notes ==		== Research notes ==
			* VENONA: NSA comments on the 26 May 1943 Military Intelligence Training release identify GONTsOV as Vadim Feodor Gontzoff / Victor Kendall (Class 6 contemporary of Stephen Soudakoff). No cover name for Gontzoff himself appears in that cable.

	== Gallery ==		== Gallery ==
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	\| row_source \|\| both		\| row_source \|\| both
	\|}		\|}

			== Timeline ==
			<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline">
			<div class="soldier-timeline-body">
			* 23 February 1915 — Born in Moscow.
			* 1938 — B.A., Columbia University; later Hollywood work as Victor Kendall.
			* 30 December 1942 — Enlists, Los Angeles (ASN 39550802).
			* 19 May 1943 — Naturalized, Hagerstown, Maryland (per VENONA comment).
			* 1943 — Camp Ritchie Class 6; named in 26 May 1943 VENONA Russian-section list.
			* 1946 — Honorable discharge (second lieutenant).
			* 2 October 1997 — Died in New York City.
			</div>
			</div><div style="clear: both;"></div>

	== Sources ==		== Sources ==
			* [https://www.lordheath.com/menu1_1149.html Lordheath — Victor Kendall / Vadim Gontzoff filmography note]
			* [https://www.fold3.com/memorial/91094157/vadim-f-gontzoff Fold3 memorial — Vadim F. Gontzoff]
			* [https://www.nsa.gov/portals/75/documents/news-features/declassified-documents/venona/dated/1943/26may_military_intel_tng.pdf NSA VENONA — 26 May 1943 Military Intelligence Training]
	* Camp Ritchie Museum, Inc. (The Ritchie History Museum), Classes 1–31 roster data		* Camp Ritchie Museum, Inc. (The Ritchie History Museum), Classes 1–31 roster data
	* Dan Gross research spreadsheets, including original Excel timeline/roster work, combined with other research and records		* Dan Gross research spreadsheets, including original Excel timeline/roster work, combined with other research and records
	* NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)		* NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
	* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)		* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)

Admin: Expand exact roster rank codes (class_rank: Pvt -> Private)

2026-09-16T05:52:26Z

Expand exact roster rank codes (class_rank: Pvt -> Private)

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:52, 16 September 2026
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	\|middle=F.		\|middle=F.
	\|class_section=10		\|class_section=10
	\|class_rank=~~Pvt~~		\|class_rank=Private
	\|birth_year=1915		\|birth_year=1915
	\|death_year=1997		\|death_year=1997

Admin: Clarify museum roster and Dan Gross research sources

2026-08-31T03:30:28Z

Clarify museum roster and Dan Gross research sources

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:30, 31 August 2026
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	== Sources ==		== Sources ==
	* Camp Ritchie ~~class roster~~ (~~classes~~ 1–31), ~~merged~~ research ~~file~~		* Camp Ritchie Museum, Inc. (The Ritchie History Museum), Classes 1–31 roster data
			* Dan Gross research spreadsheets, including original Excel timeline/roster work, combined with other research and records
	* NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)		* NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
	* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)		* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)

Admin: Normalize nativity/religion; split arm of service from branch

2026-08-26T17:36:23Z

Normalize nativity/religion; split arm of service from branch

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:36, 26 August 2026
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	\|birth_year=1915		\|birth_year=1915
	\|death_year=1997		\|death_year=1997
	\|nativity=Ru		\|nativity=Russia
	\|religion=GO		\|religion=Greek Orthodox
	\|enlistment_place=LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA		\|enlistment_place=LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA
	\|state=CALIFORNIA		\|state=CALIFORNIA

Admin: Remove redundant Civil Life research note

2026-08-23T04:54:08Z

Remove redundant Civil Life research note

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:54, 23 August 2026
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	== Research notes ==		== Research notes ==
	* Civil Life

	== Gallery ==		== Gallery ==

Admin: Move opening paragraph onto page for visual editing

2026-08-20T04:58:00Z

Move opening paragraph onto page for visual editing

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:58, 20 August 2026
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	{{Soldier		{{Soldier
			\|lede_on_page=1
	\|asn=39550802		\|asn=39550802
	\|surname=Gontzoff		\|surname=Gontzoff
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	\|class_display=6		\|class_display=6
	}}		}}

			<div class="soldier-lead">
			'''Vadim F. Gontzoff''' (1915–1997) was a United States Army Private who trained at [[Camp Ritchie]], Maryland, in [[Class 6]]. Vadim enlisted at Los Angeles, California.
			</div>

	== Biography ==		== Biography ==

Admin: Remove invalid assignment field

2026-08-20T03:36:19Z

Remove invalid assignment field

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:36, 20 August 2026
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	\|enlistment_place=LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA		\|enlistment_place=LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA
	\|state=CALIFORNIA		\|state=CALIFORNIA
	~~\|assignment=IV-733~~
	\|overseas=Y		\|overseas=Y
	\|certificate=1580		\|certificate=1580
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	* NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)		* NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
	* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)		* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)

Admin: Initial import

2026-08-18T02:00:00Z

Initial import

New page

{{Soldier
|asn=39550802
|surname=Gontzoff
|first=Vadim
|middle=F.
|class_section=10
|class_rank=Pvt
|birth_year=1915
|death_year=1997
|nativity=Ru
|religion=GO
|enlistment_place=LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA
|state=CALIFORNIA
|assignment=IV-733
|overseas=Y
|certificate=1580
|education=4 years of college
|occupation=Agents and appraisers n.e.c.
|marital=Single without dependents
|confidence=high
|class_number=6
|class_display=6
}}

== Biography ==
''Add a biography, family details, and sources. Click Edit to change this page; no account is required.''

== Research notes ==
* Civil Life

== Gallery ==
''After you are autoconfirmed, [[Special:Upload|upload a photo]] and add <code><nowiki>[[File:Example.jpg|thumb|caption]]</nowiki></code> here, or set <code>|photo=Example.jpg</code> in the infobox.''

== Technical record ==
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! Field !! Imported value
|-
| Approx Age at Death || 82
|-
| Nara ASN || 39550802
|-
| Nara Name || GONTZOFF VADIM F
|-
| Nara State || 91
|-
| Nara County || 37
|-
| Nara POE || 9141
|-
| Nara DOE || 301242
|-
| Nara Grade Alpha || PVT
|-
| Nara Grade Code || 8
|-
| Nara Branch Alpha || BI
|-
| Nara Branch Code || 0
|-
| Branch || Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA
|-
| Nara Term or Enlistment || 5
|-
| Term of enlistment || Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law
|-
| Defer. Date || 0
|-
| Nara Source || 0
|-
| Nara Nativity || O9
|-
| Nara Year of Birth || 15
|-
| Nara Race || J
|-
| Nara Race Description || White not yet a citizen
|-
| Nara Education || 8
|-
| Nara Civilian Occupation || 148
|-
| Nara Marital Status || 6
|-
| Nara Height (inches) || 71
|-
| Nara Weight (lbs) || 165
|-
| Class_ASN || 39550802
|-
| Class_Name || GONTZOFF, Vadim F.
|-
| match_method || asn_exact_name_exact
|-
| row_source || both
|}

== Sources ==
* Camp Ritchie class roster (classes 1–31), merged research file
* NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)