by Steve Vogel
On February 28 Pogue, Ordeal and Hope, 296–97, United States News, 27 Mar. 1942; NYT, Somervell obituary, 14 Feb. 1955.
“I will say this” Millett, The Army Service Forces, 7.
At the suggestion of Marshall Brenza, author interview; Newsweek, 7 Dec. 1942; Murphy, “Somervell of the S.O.S.”
Somervell soared Life, 13 Apr. 1942; Time, 15 June 1942; New York Daily News, 17 Apr. 1942.
In little over a year Alfred Goldberg, author interview, 22 Jan. 2004; Somervell, letter to Marshall, 13 May 1952, Somervell papers, MHI.
Somervell was again Somervell, “Construction Goes to War,” The Constructor, July 1942; Somervell remarks to Metropolitan Section of American Society of Civil Engineers, 20 Dec. 1944, Somervell addresses, vol. 4, MHI. Richard Groves, author interview.
“The undertaking” F&R, The Corps of Engineers, 499; Somervell, “The War Construction Job,” The Constructor, July 1944, in Somervell addresses, vol. 4, MHI.
Among many other telephone transcript, Antes calling Renshaw, 20 Jan. 1942, I, CEHO.
On March 25 Somervell, memo to Reybold, 25 Mar. 1942, I, CEHO.
The next day Strong, memo to Groves, 26 Mar. 1942, I, CEHO.
Just when it looked WP, 30 Mar. 1942; Time, 15 June 1942.
From the bottom of the Potomac River
Slipping past Alexandria C. E. Planck, “Potomac Blockade,” WP, 22 Feb. 1942. The description and all quotations from the river scene comes from Planck’s account.
Builders were desperate WP, 24 Jan. 1942; Furman, author interview.
The War Department could indeed Christensen, “Miscellaneous Data Pentagon Building” 7 Oct. 1944, I, CEHO; Frierson, The Pentagon, 17; The Skyscraper Museum Web site, www.skyscraper.org. The amount of concrete poured is surpassed by some enormous public-works projects, among them the Hoover Dam, which required three and a quarter million cubic yards of concrete. The Grand Coulee Dam, the largest concrete structure in the United States, required twelve million cubic yards.
The location chosen “The Pentagon Building,” Airlanes, Dec. 1942.
The Pentagon was being built Christensen, “Miscellaneous Data Pentagon Building” memo, 7 Oct. 1944, I, CEHO; Renshaw, letter to Christensen, 23 Sept. 1944, I, CEHO.
Though the supply WP, 24 Jan. 1942.
Floating dredges “Concreting a 100-Acre Office Building,” ENR, 4 June 1942; “The Pentagon Building,” Airlanes, Dec. 1942. F. E. Ross, “Architectural Concrete Work on the Pentagon Building,” Architectural Concrete, 1943.
Renshaw tried using Furman, author interview.
The constant pouring Allan, author interview.
The carpenters set up Allan, “Building the Pentagon” Allan, author interview.
The mass-production techniques Allan, “Building the Pentagon” Allan, author interview.
A sudden and unexpected F&R, The Corps of Engineers, 546; Cong. Rec., 29 Feb. 1944, 2105.
After a spectacular fire Douglas McKay memo to Groves, 13 Feb. 1942, I, CEHO; Groves memo to Renshaw, 24 Feb. 1942, I, CEHO; Furman, author interview. The five-alarm fire on Feb. 8, 1942, at the Hotel Statler at the corner of 16th and K streets required 350 firefighters to extinguish.
Their emergency preparedness Star, 14 June 1942; Furman, author interview.
Are there really guys buried down there?
Given the vast size Walker, author interview. Alan Renshaw, author interview.
Such stories spread Brockwell, letter to author, 8 Mar. 2004; Bill Immen, “The Pentagon…Fact and Fancy,” 7 Oct. 1961; Pentagram, 14 June 1984; Alan Fogg, Fairfax Journal, 15 Aug. 1988; Marian Bailey, author interview, 1999.
The stories Furman, author interview; Alan Renshaw, author interview.
Don’t slip on it
Workers were dying WP, 29 Mar. 1942.
Inspecting the site Blanchard, memo to Antes, 5 Dec. 1941, I, CEHO.
Renshaw was unapologetic WP, 29 Mar. 1942.
Labor leaders Ibid.; Stimson, letter to Hall, 20 June 1942, NARA RG 107.
Further aggrieved WP, 4 Mar. 1942.
There were racial Renshaw testimony, cafeteria IG report, NARA RG 159; McShain, letter to Renshaw, 18 May 1942, file 291.2, NARA RG 407; Furman, author interview.
Discrimination created telephone transcript, Antes calling Renshaw, 7 Mar. 1942, I, CEHO.
The matter was not 1936 Code of Virginia, Separation of Races, exhibit A, cafeteria IG report NARA RG 159; Goldberg, The Pentagon, 62; WP, 12 Mar. 1942.
The road network
An enormous road network Goldberg, The Pentagon, 66.
When he had sold NCPPC minutes, 29 July 1941, 2; WP, 4 Dec. 1941.
Planners for the War “Access to the World’s Largest Building,” ENR, 25 Mar. 1943; WP, 23 Sept. 1942; “The Pentagon,” Witmer papers, OSD HO.
The design included National Register of Historic Places Inventory, Nomination Form for Federal Properties, Pentagon Office Building Complex, 1989, box 1312, OSD HO. Cloverleaf interchanges on the Pennsylvania Turnpike date to the 1930s.
The basic plan Thomas MacDonald letter to Rep. Albert Engel, 31 Dec. 1943, I, CEHO; NCPPC minutes, 29 July 1941, 41; “The Pentagon Project—ASF,” 24, NARA RG 160.
Roosevelt took care Downer letter to Delano, 2 Sept. 1941, NARA DC RG 66; Cong. Rec. 29 Feb. 1944, 2105; “The Pentagon Telephone Conversations—Groves,” Matthias and Renshaw, 10 Aug. 1942.
To speed the work Somervell letter to MacDonald, 28 Oct. 1941, I, CEHO; Clarke, oral history, 154–5, CU; architects’ historical memo, NARA RG 200.
Colonel Edmond Leavey Colglazier, oral history, MHI.
Groves had steamrolled Drew Pearson, “Merry-Go-Round,” WP, 22 May 1944.
But the roads Renshaw message to Somervell, 25 Feb. 1942, SDF, NARA RG 160; Renshaw letter to Baird Snyder, 20 Feb. 1942, SDF, NARA RG 160.
This was a nice little neighborhood
To make it click WT-H, 14 Feb. 1942.
It was a small collection Everett Norton, oral history, ACOHP; Kast, “Not Everyone Thought It Was So Dreamy” Gilpin, unpublished paper on Queen City, 1984, Queen City vertical file, ACL.
This was not seen NCPPC minutes, 17 Oct. 1941, 120.
Construction had been Star, 12 Feb. 1942; Kast, “Not Everyone Thought It Was So Dreamy.”
“It was a predicament” Gertrude Jeffress, author interview, April 2004.
The desperate residents Star, 12 Feb. 1942.
Thomas MacDonald WT-H, 14 Feb. 1942, WP, 14 Feb. 1942.
There was little Arlington County Board minutes, 7 Mar. 1942; Star, 7 and 8 Mar. 1942; WP, 14 Feb. 1942.
“I remember his going crazy” WP, 4 Nov. 1999.
Renshaw was not concerned “The Pentagon Telephone Conversations—Miscellaneous,” Renshaw and O’Brien, 21 Mar. 1942, I, CEHO.
At the end of the month Jeffress, author interview; Celestine Dole, author interview, April 2004; Star, 24 Mar. 1942; WT-H, 14 Feb. 1942; WP, 4 Nov. 1999.
With the families out Star, Apr. 18, 1942.
Fact sheets “The Pentagon,” visitors’ pamphlet circa 2000.
“Whoever said it was nothing” Jeffress, author interview.
Some change, eh?
With the arrival of spring “Description of Sections A and B,” 25 Apr. 1942, Witmer papers, OSD HO.
So much limestone was needed Pino-Marina, “Indiana Plant Makes Its Mark on History” Gavin Hadden, memo to Groves, 16 Apr. 1945, I, CEHO; “Description of Sections A and B,” Witmer papers, OSD HO.
Each of the façades Ibid.; Frierson, The Pentagon, 16.
“This is how” Washington Daily News, 23 Mar. 1942.
The building was 40 percent Renshaw, memo to Somervell, 9 Mar. 1942, SDF, NARA RG 160.
peak at fifteen thousand Office of the Chief of Engineers, “Comments on Statements of Congressman Albert J. Engel on the Pentagon,” 7 Apr. 1944, 19, I, CEHO; NYT, 23 Apr. 2006; Goldberg, The Pentagon, 70; Star, 5 Apr. 1942.
Renshaw—now Renshaw memo to Somervell with accompanying photographs, 9 Mar. 1942, SDF, NAR
A RG 160.
The architect Groves to Renshaw, 26 Feb. 1942, I, CEHO; memo to Somervell, 8 Apr. 1942, SDF, NARA RG 160; Hauck letter to Renshaw, 10 Apr. 1942.
The appropriations race Bureau of the Budget, “Report Covering Pentagon Building,” 31 Aug. 1942, K, I, CEHO; Bergstrom memo to Groves, “Chief Architect’s Estimate of Cost,” 7 Feb. 1942, I, CEHO; McShain memo to Col. Graham, 3 Apr. 1942; Hauck, letter to Renshaw, 16 Apr. 1942, I, CEHO.
Somervell blew up McShain letter to Somervell, 10 Apr. 1942 and Somervell reply 12 Apr. 1942, SDF, NARA RG 160.
They would not Renshaw memo to Chief of Engineers, 16 Apr. 1942, I, CEHO; “The Pentagon Telephone Conversations—Miscellaneous,” Holmes and Renshaw, 4 Apr. 1942, I, CEHO.
Renshaw had reported on March 28 Renshaw memo to Davidson, 28 Mar. 1942, I, CEHO.
At War Department headquarters Millett, The Army Service Forces, 369; Groves recollections of Styer, Groves collection, USMA; Renshaw memo to Styer, 20 Apr. 1942, I, CEHO; Groves memo to Styer, 21 Apr. 1942, I, CEHO; Styer memo to Adjutant General’s office, 22 Apr. 1942, SDF, RG 160.
Gathered in haste from the four winds
“Fellow Workers” Bergstrom letter, 11 Apr. 1942, Witmer papers, OSD HO.
At 10 A.M. on March 20 minutes of the special meeting of the Board of Directors, AIA, 19–22 Mar. 1942, 10, 12, 14–15, 45, AIA. The account of the hearing and all quotations come from the minutes.
On March 28, the institute AIA, confidential notice of disciplinary action, 28 Mar. 1942, I, CEHO.
David Witmer “Personnel principally responsible for design and construction,” Oct. 1943, Hadden Notebook, I, CEHO.
Gathered in haste Bergstrom letter, 11 Apr. 1942, Witmer papers, OSD HO.
CHAPTER 11: THE PLANK WALKERS
Justifiable pride
Joe Allan knew Allan, author interview.
Crews had worked “The Pentagon,” 11, Witmer papers, OSD HO; Renshaw letter to Joseph McNulty, 27 Apr. 1944, I, CEHO; Federal Architect, Jan.–Apr. 43; Holmes memo, 14 Sept. 1942, I, CEHO; Kast, “Not Everyone Thought It Was So Dreamy” Star, 3 May 1942.
All through the last Allan, “Building the Pentagon” Allan, author interview.
More were arriving Furman, author interview.
Several hundred employees War Department press release, 29 Apr. 1942, SDF, NARA RG 160; Downey, author interview.
The employees “rattle” WP, 3 May 1942.
The newspapers Ibid.; WT-H, 3 May 1942.
A War Department press release War Department press release, 29 Apr. 1942, SDF, NARA RG 160.
From the day House hearing, 22 July 1941, 508; Committee on Appropriations report 988, First Supplemental National Defense Appropriation Bill, 1942, 24 July 1941, 13; conference on New War Department Building, 19 Aug. 1941, I, CEHO; construction authorization, 6 Sept. 1941, I, CEHO; “The Pentagon,” Witmer papers, 5, OSD HO
“It is almost inconceivable” WP, 4 May 1942.
Somervell was exhilarated Somervell memo for the Chief of Engineers, 30 Apr. 1942, I, CEHO.
Somervell also sent Somervell, “Memorandum for Mr. Hopkins,” 30 Apr. 1942, SDF, NARA 160.
Roosevelt and Hopkins Renshaw memo to the Chief of Engineers, 4 May 1942.
Touring the interior Green, Washington: A History of the Capital, 1800–1950, vol. II, 477; Goldberg, The Pentagon, 62.
A War Department employee Renshaw, report of cafeteria incident to Groves, 19 May 1942, Army AG decimal files, file 291.2, NARA RG 407.
Another confusing War Department press release, 29 Apr. 1942, SDF, NARA RG 160; Federal Architect, Jan. 1943.
Nine days after Ulio memo, 9 May 1942, I, CEHO.
The plank walkers
Even as the Pentagon’s Frierson, The Pentagon, 6; “The Pentagon,” Witmer papers,12,OSDHO.WarDepartment press release, 29Apr.1942,SDF,NARARG160.
Marjorie Hanshaw and her co-workers Downey, author interview.
Groves ordered “The Pentagon Telephone Conversations—Groves,” Groves calling Renshaw, 24 Apr. 1942
The overriding taste “Notes on the Pentagon,” draft of article prepared by Lt. Col. Karl Detzer for Somervell, circa 1944, I, CEHO; Brinkley, Washington Goes to War, 73.
Where there wasn’t dust Neighbors, author interview; Lucille Ramale, author interview, 6 Feb. 2004; Downey, author interview; WT-H, 9 June 1944.
The ranks of War Department Star, 7 June 1942; F&R, The Corps of Engineers, 512.
Moving crews Schintelin letter to administrations branch, 5 May 1942, 600.91, NARA RG 407.
The employees were packed Renshaw memo to Groves, 24 July 1942, I, CEHO; Washington Daily News, 30 Oct. 1942.
Senior officers Brinkley, Washington Goes to War, 113.
“They’re spoiling the outer” “The Pentagon Telephone Conversations—Groves,” Renshaw and Groves, 14 May 1942.
Overshooting the mark
Somervell finally notified Somervell, letter to Rep. Clarence Cannon, 7 May 1942, SDF, NARA RG 160; Groves, oral history with Pogue, second interview, GCM Lib.
“I’m in favor” F&R, The Corps of Engineers, 411.
“You have overshot” House hearing, 15 June 1942.
“They listened to a $15 million” “The Pentagon Telephone Conversations—Miscellaneous,” Renshaw and Holmes, 16 June 1942.
Nothing is usual
Like everyone else Downey, author interview; Amy Iselin, ed., “Reminisces of Early Days,” box 1303, OSD HO.
Renshaw had come up Alan Renshaw, author interview; Goldberg, The Pentagon, 60.
Groves was skeptical “The Pentagon Telephone Conversations—Groves,” Groves calling Renshaw, 30 Apr. 1942.
My people are Americans
Henry E. Bennett followed Henry Bennett, statement to Judge William Hastie, 19 May 1942, Hastie papers, RG 107.
A modest and serious-minded Henry E. Bennett, Jr., author interview, August 2005; resume of Henry E. Bennett, courtesy Henry E. Bennett, Jr.
Bennett sat at the table Bennett statement to Hastie, 19 May 1942, Hastie papers, RG 107.
a slight young man Renshaw memo to Lt. Col. Benjamin Weisbrod, 8 Aug. 1942, Hastie papers, RG 107.
Roosevelt’s executive order Renshaw memo to Chief of Engineers, 17 Mar. 1942, I, CEHO; W. P. McFarland, Industrial Foods, Inc., to Renshaw, 30 Mar. 1942, I, CEHO; McShain memo to Renshaw, 18 May 1942, file 291.2, NARA RG 407; Fox, “World’s Largest Cafeteria to Feed 40,000 Nearing Completion.”
Whatever the legal Bennett statement to Hastie, 19 May 1942, Hastie papers, RG 107; Bennett testimony, cafeteria IG report, NARA RG 159.
The rebellion McFarland and Horace Crump testimony cafeteria IG report, NARA RG 159.
The chief of the Pentagon Sumner Dodge and Alfred Lee testimony, cafeteria IG report, NARA RG 159; McShain memo to Renshaw, 18 May 1942, 5:30 P.M., file 291.2, NARA RG 407; Bennett statement to Hastie, 19 May 1942, Hastie papers, RG 107.
On Monday McShain memo to Renshaw, 18 May 1942, 10 A.M., file 291.2, NARA RG 407.
Gladys Lancaster Gladys Lancaster, Ruth Bush, and Laurel Carson testimony, cafeteria IG report, NARA RG 159.
At 11:35 Bennett, Harold, Crump, and McFarland testimony, cafeteria IG report, NARA RG 159; Ristine report, 25 May 1942, cafeteria IG report, NARA RG 159; statement of Crump, 18 May 1942, file 291.2, NARA RG 407.
Four officers rushed Theodore Lee, Harold, Bennett, Carson, Charles Meisel, and Bush, testimony, cafeteria IG report, NARA RG 159; Bennett statement to Hastie, 19 May 1942, Hastie papers, NARA RG 107; statements of Crump, Lee, and J. A. McDaniel, 18 May 1942, file 291.2, NARA RG 407.
Harold was staggering Mildred Neal, Charles Bush, Carson, Bush testimony, cafeteria IG report, NARA RG 159; Bennett statement to Hastie, 19 May 1942, Hastie papers, RG 107.
Back at the cafeteria Theodore Lee testimony, cafeteria IG report, NARA RG 159; undated memo circa 18 May 1942, about visit of five Ordnance employees to Hastie’s office, Hastie papers, NARA RG 107.
Integrating the Pentagon
Judge
William H. Hastie Ibid.
At thirty-seven, Hastie NYT, Hastie obituary, 15 Apr. 1976; William Hastie, oral history, 1972, HST Lib.
In his office Bennett statement to Hastie, 19 May 1942, Hastie papers, NARA RG 107.
The resulting investigation Ristine report, 25 May 1942, cafeteria IG report, NARA RG 159; Bush, Harold, Evelyn Caines testimony, cafeteria IG report, NARA RG 159.
In their testimony Theodore Lee, McDaniel, Smith, and Crump testimony, cafeteria IG report, NARA RG 159; statements of Crump, Lee, and McDaniel, 18 May 1942, file 291.2, NARA RG 407.
Moreover, Charles Meisel Meisel testimony, cafeteria IG report, NARA RG 159.
Hastie had to fight Howard Peterson memo to Hastie, 29 June 1942, file 291.2, NARA RG 407; Hastie memo to the Under Secretary of War, 3 July 1942, cafeteria IG report, NARA RG 159.
An aide to Patterson memo about Howard Peterson, 30 July 1942, cafeteria IG report, NARA RG 159; Maj. Gen. Virgil Peterson memo on investigation to Howard Peterson, 14 Aug. 1942, cafeteria IG report, NARA RG 159; National Negro Congress, letter to Stimson, 22 May 1942, cafeteria IG report, NARA RG 159.
Yet the rebellion Renshaw report to Groves, 19 May 1942 and Reybold memo to Somervell, 19 May 1942, file 291.2, NARA RG 407. McFarland and Renshaw testimony, cafeteria IG report, NARA RG 159. After the war, Bennett continued his work on behalf of civil rights, serving as president of the NAACP in Gary, Indiana.
CHAPTER 12: HELL-AN-GONE
Miss Ten Thousand
Opal Sheets did her best Opal Sheets Belen, author interview, September 2003; Washington Daily News, 18 July 1942.
McShain’s workers Field progress report, 15 June 1942, Records of the Office of Chief of Military History, entry 145, NARA RG 319.
By the time Adjutant General memo to Styer, 21 July 1942, I, CEHO.
Critical days Rick Atkinson, An Army at Dawn, 16; Murphy, “Somervell of the S.O.S.” McCloy, interview with Sevareid, Amherst College.
