The Romanov succession

The Fort Bliss sun whacked ferociously against the rows of weathered clapboard: temporary barracks erected in 1917. Alex went inside and the G-1 nodded to him from behind the officer-of-the-day desk. Alex strode past the flag standard to the post commander’s door. When he entered the office his head just missed the top of the doorframe.

An aura of stale cigar hung around the dreary hot room: Spaight didn’t smoke but it was that kind of climate, it preserved everything like a sarcophagus.

Spaight was a brigadier; his hair and unkempt eyebrows were pewter grey: he had an easy amiable smile that squinted up the grid of tiny lines on his face. But he looked unnerved. “How was the jump?”

“Good. They’re coming along.” Alex hooked his cap over the prong of the hat rack.

“They weren’t much of a jump team before you took them over.”

“I just bark at them. They hate me so they’ve got to prove they’re harder than I am. Nothing new about it-I imagine the Greeks ran their armies the same way.”

“Pull up a chair, Alex.” Spaight tipped back in his chair and glanced uneasily toward the window where a fly seeking escape kept banging against the screen. Then he tapped a paper on his desk. “I’ve got War Department orders for you.” He looked bleak.

2

SECRET SECRET SECRET

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

U.S. ARMY PERSONNEL REPORT

SUBJECT: Danilov, Alexsander I.

Following report was compiled by: Baltimore, Md., District Office. Bibliography of sources attached. The Bureau expresses its appreciation for the cooperation of BNand I, U.S. Army and U.S. Department of State in making dossiers on subject available.

Subject’s vital statistics:

Date and Place of Birth: 27 March 1907, nr. Kiev, Ukraine, Imperial Russian Empire.

Father’s name and occupation: Danilov, Ilya V. (1871–1920), officer in Imperial (“White Russian”) Army, 1889–1920.

Mother’s name (maiden) amp; occupation if any: Danilova, Anya F., nee Petrovna (1875–1931).

Subject’s physical description. (Attach photos). Height: 6 ft. 2 in. Weight: 180 lbs. Hair: Brown. Eyes: Grey. Distinguishing marks: Scars at throat (see photos). Smallpox vaccination, upper left bicep. 3 in. scar on back of right calf 2 in. below knee. Marital status: Single. Citizenship: U.S.A.

Summary of findings: Request for investigation of Subject was forwarded to this office from U.S. Army BuPers on 12 December 1940, pursuant to Subject’s pending receipt by special arrangement of temporary commission in U.S. Army. Clearance up to Confidential level was requested. Investigation was concluded 17 January 1941. Clearance denied by U.S. Army G-2. Temporary commission granted (Colonel AUS) for purposes of training U.S. combat troops.

Summary of results of investigation: Subject Danilov is naturalized U.S. citizen. Arrived U.S.A. 1924 as White Russian refugee (age 16). Mother became naturalized U.S. citizen 1929; subject achieved naturalized status on 21st birthday (1928). Attended Culver Military Academy (1924-25), Princeton University (B.S. 1929). Attended Sandhurst military college (G.B.-1930-31. Note: Subject’s family resided in England 1929–1934 but retained U.S. citizenship. See Appendix I, Family Affiliations).

Subject’s movements 1931–1935 have been subjected to a general trace but the Bureau recommends a more thorough check. Said movements took place outside the United States and such an investigation would be outside the jurisdiction of the Bureau. General summaries from Department of State files are attached (Appendix II, III, IV). During 1931-35 period, Subject’s activities have been described broadly as “playboy-oriented” (U.S.D.S. Report, Appendix III) with emphasis on social-set activities on the Continent: gambling, polo, yachting.

In 1935 Subject became associate of his stepbrother, Vassily I. Devenko. (See abstract on Devenko from U.S.D.S. files, Appendix V.) Note: Devenko’s private White Russian army has been described as a mercenary force but confidential reports via U.S.D.S. contraindicate such description.

In September 1935 Devenko’s White Russian Brigade enlisted in the service of the Chinese Government to combat Communist risings and Japanese aggrandizement in Manchukuo. Subject Danilov accompanied the Brigade as platoon leader, company commander and ultimately (March 1936) Operations Officer on staff of “General” Devenko. Subject’s combat record unavailable. Combat record of the Devenko Brigade as a whole has been obtained through sources in the Government of China (Appendix VI) and reports forwarded via the headquarters of Gen. Claire Chennault (Appendix VII). Consensus of reports is that the anti-Communist record of the Devenko Brigade is impeccable.