The Pentagon: A History

by Steve Vogel

  “I am going out” Roosevelt, Presidential Press Conferences, vol. 18, 127.

  I’m still commander-in-chief

  The president’s limousine was waiting Vogel, “The Battle of Arlington,” WP, 26 Apr. 1999.

  Gilmore Clarke had received Clarke, oral history, 149–52, CU.

  Shortly after finishing “The President’s Day,” International News Service; 30 Aug. 1941; Star, 30 Aug. 1941; Clarke, memorandum for the Commission of Fine Arts, 30 Aug. 1941, NARA DC RG 66.

  “Gilmore…, don’t you like it?” Clarke, oral history, 150, CU. All subsequent FDR quotes during the trip are drawn from Clarke’s account unless otherwise noted.

  Inspecting the site Jay Downer, letter to Delano, 2 Sept. 1941, NARA DC RG 66.

  Roosevelt wanted to know Ibid.

  The entourage rode Clarke, oral history, 152, CU.

  Somervell had no intention Clarke, memorandum for the Commission of Fine Arts, 30 Aug. 1941, NARA DC RG 66; Clarke, oral history, 152, CU; Downer, letter to Delano, 2 Sept. 1941, NARA DC RG 66.

  With that, the president “The President’s Day,” International News Service, 30 Aug. 1941.

  CHAPTER 6: HELL’S BOTTOM

  A hot time in the old town

  As the southbound train Dorothy Ellis Lee, A History of Arlington County, Virginia, 33; Jack Hamilton Foster, “Crandal Mackey, Crusading Commonwealth’s Attorney.” Arlington Historical Magazine, 1984. Rose, Arlington County, Virginia, 150–156.

  Jackson City, at least Jackson City history, vertical files, ACL; Rose, Arlington County, Virginia, 92–3; Northern Virginia Sun, 28 Aug. 1957; Star, 20 Jan. 1892; J. Elwood Clements, oral history, 1977, ACOHP.

  Just inland, occupying Frank L. Ball, “The Arlington I Have Known,” Arlington Historical Magazine, 1964; WP, 4 Dec. 1926.

  By the turn Foster, “Crandal Mackey” Ball, “The Arlington I Have Known.” WP, 9 May 1904.

  Jackson City was the prime Lee, A History of Arlington, 37–39; Foster, “Crandal Mackey.”

  The place where fish are caught

  The land where Rose, Arlington County, Virginia, 9–15; Junior League of Washington, The City of Washington: An Illustrated History, 9–11; Arlington Historical Society, “Historic Arlington,” on Arlington Historical Society Web site, www.arlingtonhistoricalsociety.org/learn/; Daniel Koski-Karell, “Historical and Archaeological Background Research of the GSA Pentagon Complex Project Area,” 12–31, box 1312, OSD HO; “Final Environmental Assessment of the Pentagon Reservation Master Plan,” 68–90, box 1312, OSD HO.

  The Civil War Koski-Karell, “Historical and Archaeological Background Research” Ruth Ward, “Life in Alexandria County During the Civil War,” The Arlington Historical Magazine, 1984.

  A community of escaped slaves Sherlock, “Arlington National Cemetery, Historic Background Southern Portion” Roberta Schildt, “Freedman’s Village: Arlington, Virginia, 1863–1900,” Arlington Historical Magazine, 1984; Freedman’s Village vertical file, ACL.

  Some residents Susan Gilpin, unpublished paper on Queen City, 1984, Queen City vertical file, ACL; Schildt, “Freedman’s Village.” Star, 26 Jan., 1908.

  That was not the case with Hell’s WP, 25 June, 1910, 12 May 1923, 15 May 1925, 1 Dec. 1925, 28 Apr. 1926, 7 May 1926, 30 Apr. 1970.

  Nearby, on the old site Arven H. Saunders, “Airports in Northern Virginia, Past and Present,” Arlington Historical Magazine, 1967; Author visit, Arlington County Visitors Center.

  Constant burning WP, 7 Oct. 1934, 13 Jan. 1957, 9 Aug. 1936.

  Legislation for a new airport Saunders, “Airports in Northern Virginia.”

  FDR, as usual Rhoads, “Franklin D. Roosevelt and Washington Architecture” Cowdrey, A City for the Nation, 55; Star, 20 Nov. 1940.

  There was only one problem Reynolds, “John McShain—Builder.” The plaque remains on the wall in the old terminal.

  Much change was afoot WP, 17 Sept. 1941; “The Pentagon Project—ASF,” NARA RG 160.

  The latter site Federal Architect, Jan.–Apr. 1943; Sheilah Kast, “Not Everyone Thought It Was So Dreamy,” Star, 1 Sept. 1975; Rayfield Barber, oral history, 1991, ACOHP; Perry West, oral history, 1975, ACOHP; Final Environmental Assessment of the Pentagon Reservation Master Plan,” 82, box 1312, OSD HO.

  The whole county NCPPC minutes, 29 July 1941, 23, 27; Rose, Arlington County, Virginia, 175–6, 197–203; Star, 25 July and 8 Nov. 1941; Arlington County Board minutes, 13 Nov. 1943.

  Faced now with the prospect WP, 26 July 1941; Kast, “Not Everyone Thought It Was So Dreamy” Senate hearing, 8 Aug. 1941, 195; Star, 25 July 1941.

  Somervell’s building would require John J. O’Brien, memorandum for Col. Clarence Renshaw, 31 July 1943, entry 5, box 1, NARA RG 200; “The Pentagon Project-EHD,” 36, CEHO; War Department press release, “General Plans Announced for New War Department Building in Arlington County, Va.”, 7 Oct. 1941, I, CEHO.

  A new pentagon

  The original rationale “Basic Data on the Pentagon,” IV, file 4, box 15, SDF, NARA RG 160; Frierson, The Pentagon, 8–10 (see also draft manuscript, 11); Architectural Record, Jan. 1943; Witmer planning memorandum, OSD HO.

  Somervell liked it Somervell, letter to William A. Delano, 11 Sept. 1941, I, CEHO.

  Something else about a pentagon “The Pentagon,” Sept. 1942, 15, Witmer papers, OSD HO (hereafter “The Pentagon,” Witmer papers); Leisenring, F&R interview, CEHO; Shelby Foote, The Civil War: Fort Sumter to Perryville, 49.

  I should absolutely refuse to live in a building of that type

  Roosevelt made the first Stimson diary, 29 Aug. 1941; Brinkley, Washington Goes to War, 72.

  Roosevelt had picked up Downer letter to Delano, 2 Sept. 1941, NARA DC RG 66.

  Roosevelt’s vision Roosevelt, Complete Presidential Press Conferences, vol. 18, 127–29, 29 Aug. 1941.

  “Well, Mr. President” Clarke, oral history, 153–154, CU.

  By the end Downer, letter to Delano, 2 Sept. 1941, NARA DC RG 66.

  I like that pentagon-shaped building

  Bergstrom arrived Washington Daily News, 3 Sept. 1941; Minutes of meeting of the Commission of Fine Arts, 2 Sept. 1941, microfilm, NARA DC RG 66 (hereafter CFA minutes).

  “A pentagonal has never worked” Ibid.

  Paul Philippe Cret Rhoads, “Franklin D. Roosevelt and Washington Architecture” “History of the National Naval Medical Center,” NNMC; Philadelphia Architects and Buildings Project Web site, www.philadelphiabuildings.org/pab.

  “If one gets into” CFA minutes, 2 Sept. 1941, NARA DC.

  Cret drew pencil sketches Clarke, oral history, 152–53, CU.

  Somervell beat the commissioners Star, 2 and 3 Sept. 1941; Washington Daily News, 3 Sept. 1941; “The President’s Day,” International News Service, 3 Sept. 1941; Pare Lorentz chronology, 2 Sept. 1941, FDR Lib.

  At 2:15 P.M. Clarke, oral history, 153, CU; Clarke letter and accompanying report to FDR, 2 Sept. 1941, NARA DC RG 66; Pare Lorentz chronology, 2 Sept. 1941, FDR Lib.

  “You know, gentlemen” Clarke, oral history, 153, CU.

  A veil of secrecy falls

  Late that afternoon Roosevelt, Complete Presidential Press Conferences, vol. 18, 2 Sept. 1941, 133–35.

  “It doesn’t seem reasonable” WP, 5 Sept. 1941.

  Somervell was cheery Star, 4 Sept. 1941.

  The press did not fully Star, 2 Sept. 1941.

  By Somervell’s reckoning Somervell memorandum for the assistant secretary of war, 3 Sept. 1941, SDF, NARA RG 160.

  Somervell told the press Washington Daily News, 3 Sept. 1941; Star, 3 Sept. 1941; WT-H, 3 Sept. 1941; “The President’s Day,” International News Service, 4 Sept. 1941; Pare Lorentz chronology, 3 Sept. 1941, for Lib.

  The afternoon of September 4 “Minutes of conference on New War Department Building,” 4 Sept. 1941, I, CEHO, FDR Lib.

  There was one more Somervell memo to Chief, Bureau of Public Relations, 4 Sept. 1941, I, CEHO; Somervell memo to Surles, 5 Sept. 1941, I, CEHO.

  A vei
l of secrecy “The Pentagon Project—EHD,” 35, CEHO; F&R, The Corps of Engineers, 437.

  CHAPTER 7: UNDER WAY

  An army is marshaled

  Word was getting around fast Stanley Nance Allan, author interviews, 2003–06; Stanley Nance Allan, “Building the Pentagon,” lecture delivered to the Chicago Literary Club, 25 Nov. 2002. Allan went by the name “Joe” until after he left in Pentagon project in 1942.

  McShain had developed Brauer, The Man Who Built Washington, 50.

  Hauck was a Pennsylvania-born WP, Hauck obituary, 25 Jan. 1970; J. Lacey Reynolds, undated notes for “John McShain, Builder,” VII, subseries 1, McShain papers, HML (hereafter Reynolds notes).

  Hauck was different Polly McShain, author interview.

  McShain’s treatment of Hauck Reynolds notes, McShain papers, HML; Brauer, The Man Who Built Washington, 134.

  The biggest white elephant in creation

  Roosevelt, after Goodwin, No Ordinary Time, 271–2; Jan Pottker, Sara and Eleanor, 332; NYT, 9 Sept. 1941.

  In ordinary times Frierson, The Pentagon, 8; Goldberg, The Pentagon, 44; Clarence Renshaw, memo to the Quartermaster General, 3 Sept. 1941, I, CEHO; George Malcolm White, “The Pentagon Drawings,” 1993, 6.

  The key to building WP, 23 Jan. 1951.

  as the contract required Construction authorization, 6 Sept. 1941, I, CEHO; Witmer planning memorandum, OSD HO.

  The assembly-line Ides van der Gracht, interview with George Malcolm White, 25–26 Jan. 1993, series 45.1, George M. White, RG 45, AOC (hereafter van der Gracht, White interview); McShain, address to The Society of American Military Engineers Philadelphia Post, 16 Mar. 1944, personal papers, McShain Papers, (hereafter McShain address to engineers).

  Hauck would have overall Ibid.; Brauer, The Man Who Built Washington, 82. Leisenring, F&R interview, CEHO.

  At the site WT-H, 3 Sept. 1941.

  With groundbreaking Reynolds notes, 42, McShain papers, HML.

  On the eve Architectural Forum, Sept. 1941.

  September 11, 1941

  The heat finally broke WP, 11 Sept. 1941.

  The new construction Pentagon project audit, 22 Aug. 1942, I, CEHO; Groves diary, 11 Sept. 1941, entry 7530G, NARA RG 200.

  best part of the site Groves letter to The Journal of the Armed Forces, 23 May 1968, entry 5, box 1, NARA RG 200; Stacie Condrell, author interview, Sept. 2003.

  Somervell had eight pile drivers NCPPC minutes, 18 Sept. 1941, 71; “World’s Largest Office Building,” draft of article for Engineering News-Record, 16 Sept. 1942, I, CEHO; McShain address to engineers, McShain papers, HML.

  Regardless, the general Somervell letter to William A. Delano, 11 Sept. 1941, I, CEHO.

  Alexander Surles, the Army chief Somervell, memorandum to Surles, 10 Sept. 1941, I, CEHO; War Department press release, 11 Sept. 1941, SDF, NARA RG 160.

  In fact, the construction Office of the Quartermaster General, memo to Office of the Under Secretary, 9 Sept. 1941, I, CEHO.

  Somervell was correct Groves, “Notes on the Pentagon,” NARA RG 200; W. D. Styer, memo to Somervell, 12 Sept. 1941, SDF, NARA RG 160; “Population of War Department Building,” 7 Sept. 1941, Witmer notebook, Witmer papers, OSD HO.

  Stimson received “disturbing news” Stimson diary, 11 Sept. 1941.

  At the White House Burns, The Soldier of Freedom, 139.

  “The Nazi danger” Roosevelt, The Public Papers and Addresses of Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1941 vol., 389.

  Roosevelt announced Stimson diary, 11 Sept. 1941; Burns, The Soldier of Freedom, 141.

  “[W]hen you see a rattlesnake” Roosevelt, The Public Papers and Addresses of Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1941 vol., 390.

  Those damn pile drivers

  The pounding was incessant Allan, “Building the Pentagon.”

  Major Gar Davidson Davidson, oral history, CEHO.

  The engineers had briefly considered “The Pentagon,” Witmer papers, 22, OSD HO; Lt. Col. Hugh Hester letter to Julius Amberg, 12 Dec. 1941, I, CEHO; Frierson, The Pentagon, draft, 30; Allan, “Building the Pentagon” Allan, author interview; Condrell, author interview.

  After a week they had sunk Furman, author interview; NCPPC minutes, 19 Sept. 1941, 69–71.

  This infernal hole

  Somervell was indeed WT-H, 8 Oct. 1941; WP, 31 Oct. 1941.

  The cool weather WP, 1 Oct. 1941; Stimson diary, 16 Sept. 1941.

  “We’ll have government clerks” WT-H, 8 Oct. 1941.

  On September 19, Groves ordered Groves memo to Renshaw, 19 Sept. 1941, I, CEHO; Hauck, letter to Renshaw, 23 Sept. 1941, I, box 17, CEHO; Star, 13 Sept. 1942.

  After two weeks Edmund H. Leavey letter to Walter Wheeler, 3 Oct. 1941, I, CEHO; Star, 10 Oct. 1941.

  What was left of Hell’s Furman, author interview.

  Wrecking balls Ibid.; Renshaw letter to Civil Aeronautics Administration, 22 Sept. 1941, I, CEHO; Furman, Notice to Flyers, I, CEHO.

  By early October Allan, author interview; WT-H, 8 Oct. 1941; WP, 31 Oct. 1941.

  When construction started “New War Department Building,” undated report circa 1942, 3, Witmer papers, OSD HO; Frierson, The Pentagon, 16; architects’ historical memo, NARA RG 200; “The Army’s Giant ‘Five-by-Five,” Popular Mechanics, Mar. 1943. By comparison, 1.2 million cubic yards of earth and rock were excavated to build the World Trade Center.

  The excavation and grading Furman, author interview; “Equipment Maintenance on Huge Earth Job,” ENR, 2 July 1942; Star, 12 Oct. 1942; WP, 6 and 13 May, 1942.

  The Army had considered Somervell memo the Chief of Engineers, 10 Sept. 1941, I, CEHO; Frierson, The Pentagon, 17.

  In the first weeks “Concreting a 100-Acre Office Building,” ENR, 4 June 1942.

  More than one million Renshaw, memo to the Chief of Engineers, 5 July 1944, I, 16, CEHO; WP, 8 Nov. 1941.

  We’d better leave town

  The original plan House hearing, 22 July 1941, 507.

  The light-colored, fine-grained Christina Pino-Marina, “Indiana Plant Makes its Mark on History,” www.washingtonpost.com, 11 June 2002.

  “I am sure” McShain letter to Groves, 30 July 1941, I, CEHO.

  McShain had an ally J. B. Reinhalter letter to Somervell, 28 Aug. 1941, I, CEHO; Voorhees, F&R interview, CEHO; Groves comments, second draft, Chap. 13, 4–5, CEHO; Somervell letter to Rep. J. Harry McGregor, 18 Oct. 1941, I, CEHO.

  The limestone debate F. E. Ross, “Architectural Concrete Work on the Pentagon Building,” Architectural Concrete, 1943.

  McShain and Groves thought it easiest F&R, The Corps of Engineers, 438; Ross, “Architectural Concrete Work on the Pentagon Building” Groves comments, second draft, Chap. 13, 4–5, CEHO; Leisenring, F&R interview, CEHO.

  McShain was beside himself Telephone transcript, McShain calling Groves, 21 Nov. 1941, I, CEHO; McShain letter to Renshaw, 2 Oct. 1941, I, CEHO; Groves, oral history with Pogue, second interview, GCM Lib.

  Late on the morning “The President’s Day,” International News Service, 11 Oct. 1941; Star, 10 Oct. 1941; Edwin Watson, Memorandum for the President, 7 Oct. 1941, OF 25, FDR Lib.; F&R, The Corps of Engineers, 437.

  Next Bergstrom made the case Telephone transcript, Groves calling McShain, 10 Oct. 1941.

  The fight was not over Ibid.; Groves, oral history with Pogue, second interview, GCM Lib.; Groves comments, second draft, Chap. 13, 4–5, CEHO; Allan, author interview.

  Inspecting the concrete Telephone transcript, McShain calling Groves, 14 Oct. 1941, I, CEHO.

  Groves pressed Somervell Groves, oral history with Pogue, second interview, GCM Lib.

  The president was “emphatic” Somervell, memorandum for General Watson, 5 Dec. 1941, OF 25, FDR Lib.

  “Well, it’s settled” Groves, oral history with Pogue, second interview, GCM Lib.

  McShain, who prided Telephone transcript, McShain calling Groves, 21 Nov. 1941, I, CEHO.

  It’s going to be a whopper

  Newspaper and magazine reporters George Holmes memo to Bureau of Public Relati
ons, 7 Oct. 1941, I, CEHO.

  Each face of the five-side War Department press release, “General Plans Announced for New War Department Building in Arlington County, Va.,” 7 Oct. 1941, I, CEHO.

  Reporters were further WP, 8 Oct. 1941.

  The “so-called basement” Goldberg, The Pentagon, 44; “The Pentagon Telephone Conversations—With General Groves Office—Feb. ’42–’43,” Renshaw and Groves, 30 Apr. 1942, I, CEHO (hereafter The Pentagon Telephone Conversations—Groves).

  Indeed, no information Star, 10 Oct. 1941.

  Finally, leaving the White House WT-H, 11 Oct. 1941.

  Conferring with local architects Star, 10 Oct. 1941.

  The working papers of Witmer “Population of War Department Building,” 7 Sept. 1941, Witmer notebook, Witmer papers, OSD HO.

  Speaking to reporters Star, 10 Oct. 1941.

  Somervell told Roosevelt Downer, letter to Delano, 2 Sept. 1941, NARA DC RG 66.

  As for reporters’ doubts Star, 10 Oct. 1941.

  Skeptical reporters consulted Washington Daily News, 13 Oct. 1941; Star, 11 Oct. 1941. Though he had made no public announcement, Delano would soon tell Roosevelt he intended to retire from the commission he had fathered. The planning commission, Delano explained to his nephew, “no longer performed any planning functions” (Goldberg, “The Pentagon”, 28).

  “It was finally decided” WT-H, 11 Oct. 1941.

  CHAPTER 8: THE VIEW FROM HIGH AND LOW

  Lieutenant Furman’s blimp ride

  Lieutenant Bob Furman waited Furman, author interview.

  The blimp was the only aircraft Renshaw, statement on use of Washington-Hoover Airport, 13 Oct. 1941, I, CEHO.

  Enterprise, a 148-foot WP, 2 Feb. 1936, 8 Nov. 1941, and 12 Feb. 1942.

  Furman knew time Furman, author interview.

  Groves and Renshaw were impressed Richard Groves, author interview; Alan Renshaw, author interview; Norris, Racing for the Bomb, 287–88; Furman, author interview.