WHCA Q&A

White House Communications Agency Q&A

WHCA HISTORY

1. In what year was WHCA established and what was it originally called?

            Answer: The White House Signal Detachment was formed on 25 March 1942.

2. When the Agency was first formed, how many officers and enlisted personnel were assigned?       

Answer: The White House Signal Detachment was composed of 2 Officers and 30 Enlisted personnel.

2. How long did Colonel George J. McNally serve as the Commander of WHCA?

Answer: Colonel McNally served as the Agency Commander from March 1946 to May 1965, a total of 19+ years. The WHCA HQ building is named after him.

3. What was Colonel McNally’s Code name?

            Answer: Star

4. Immediately following the Second World War, what was the Agency's manning level reduced to?

Answer: The manning level of the Agency at the end of WW II was 2 Officers and 18 Enlisted personnel.

5. In what year did the Agency go 24/7/365?

Answer: The Agency went full-time in 1950 at the outset of the Korean Conflict.

6. What was Camp David originally called?

Answer: Camp David was originally called Shangri-La.

7. When did the Agency decide to permanently assign personnel to Camp David.

Answer: In 1951 the first member was assigned to Camp and over the subsequent months the detachment would be filled with new members.

8. In what year was the name of the Agency changed to the White House Army Signal Agency?

Answer: 1954.

9. In what year did the Agency get its present name?

Answer: August 2, 1962.

10. Where was the Shop located prior to moving into 3248 M Street?

            Answer: 26th Street and D Street NW. The agency moved to M Street in 1964.

11. When did WHCA vacate the shop on M St?

Answer: All of the groups that operated in the Shop moved to Anacostia between 1972 and 1976. WHCA initially operated out of Building 94 and Building 47. Also, a large portion of WHCA personnel worked on the 18 Acres

12. In what year did WHCA move into Building 399?

Answer: The Agency moved into Building 399 in 1991.

13. Why did President Richard Nixon present WHCA with the Presidential Unit Citation?

            Answer:  It was awarded the agency in recognition of their performance during his 1972 visit to China.

14. Where is the WHCA Hall of Fame?

            Answer: In the Colonel George J. McNally building 399 at Anacostia.

15. In what year did WHCA start the All-Star Program?

Answer: The Agency began the All-Star Program when WHCA moved into their new Building at Anacostia in 1991. There are currently 57 names on the HOF List.

16. Who designed the WHCA logo?

Answer: MSG (R) Ronald S. Knowles . Ron was in Drafting and Reproduction Branch for nearly 20 years  In 1962, then SSG Knowles was directed by the Commander to design a new seal when the agency transitioned from White House Army Signal Agency to White House Communications Agency during the Kennedy administration. The new WHCA Seal has been in use now for 57 years.

17. Who is eligible to receive the Presidential Service Badge?

Answer: Military personnel who serve in the Agency for one year are eligible for the Badge.

18. When was the Presidential Service Badge established?

Answer: Executive Order 10879, which established the Presidential Service Certificate and the Presidential Service Badge was enacted on 1 June 1960. This Executive Order was later revised under Executive Order 11174 on 1 September 1964.

19. What is the 1600 Communications Association?

Answer: The 1600 Communications Association is a WHCA Alumni Association made up of former and current WHCA members.

20. Who is eligible to join the 1600 Communications Association?

Answer: Anyone currently serving or who has served in the Agency is eligible to join.

21. Who was the first president of the 1600 Communications Association?

            Answer: Colonel George J. McNally           

22. Counting our current President, President Joe Biden, how many Presidents has the Agency served?                                                                                                                  Answer: WHCA has served 15 different Presidents

23. Counting the current WHCA Commander COL Brian Jorgenson how many how many have served in that capacity?                                                                           Answer: 29 from Mar 1946 to Present (for a complete list of WHCA Commanders see Blog post WHCA NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS)    https://whcacannonball.blogspot.com/2019/07/whca-q.html