The WHCA Shop in Georgetown (1965 to 1976)-revised

The WHCA Shop in Georgetown
3248 M St entrance today
Type Of Activity	WHCA Operations
Location
Location	3248 M St NW Georgetown
Date of Activity	1965 to 1976
Coordinates	38°54′18.37″N 77°03′51.60″W

A little history of The “WHCA Shop” in Georgetown:

For over a decade from 1965 to 1976, the WHCA base of operations resided at 3248 M St NW in Georgetown. A plain unmarked building it contained all of the logistical elements necessary to support the President and Vice President providing communications for all domestic and international  travel.

Parts of the structure located on M Street predate 1838 when it was used as a tobacco warehouse that opened up directly onto the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. In the 1850s, the building was purchased by John E. Reeside and Gilbert Vanderwerken and converted into stables for their omnibus line. The building continued to be used as stables for the first horse car line, the Washington and Georgetown Railroad. It was later converted into a machine shop for streetcars. The parts of the building that face the canal and the facade of the M Street entrance remain from those earlier periods. After the demise of Washington's streetcars in 1962, the building served as the United States Defense Communications Annex E before being converted to WHCA’s base of operations in 1964.

I received my orders after I graduated from the Microwave repair school at Ft Monmouth to report to a street address in Washington D.C. in Nov 1965. I loaded my family in the car and headed to my new assignment in WHCA. When I arrived in Washington, I tried to locate the address, not knowing the city. I made several wrong turns and ended up in VA several times, so we decided to stop and get something to eat. Luckily, I had a contact number for MSG Joe Terrian, I called him, and he informed me that WHCA had moved to a new location in Georgetown, and Ft Monmouth gave me the wrong address. The old building had been razed and all that was left was a hole in the ground. Now I had passed that hole in the ground at least a half a dozen times that morning. 

The old location was located at 26th and D Street NW. This is where WHCA had occupied a building that was near the Olde Heurich Brewering Company in Foggy Bottom. The brewery buildings were razed to make room for the new Kennedy Center of the Performing Arts which occupies that space  today, the shop moved from 26th St in May 1965. It had been DC transits streetcar repair shop, located on Mst, a monstrous old facility. GSA rented it from O. Roy Chalk, gutted it and remodeled it. 

 

The new location  fronted on M St with two entrances one was WHCA personnel and the second was a nonaffiliated DCA office that had had no access to the rest of the building. MSG Joe Terrian gave me WHCA's official address which was 3248 M Street NW. It was an unmarked white front building with no columns but having a few steps that went up to a black door. Behind that door was an iron security gate. Since I was in uniform, they told me to go to a motel and come back in the morning wearing a suit. The next morning I was told I was assigned to Camp David in Thurmont Md. Go to the Cozy Inn, and someone would meet me there to show me the way. I still had a few days to try and find an apartment before I had to report. I found an apartment next to the PO in Blue Ridge Summit Pa. It took about three months and I moved into quarters at Camp David.

Dan Mirabelli tells the story “It was a beautiful Sept morning in 1966, I knocked on the door of 3248 M street. I was a terrified 19year old, I did not know what laid ahead for me. I sat in a chair till 2pm. They asked if I ate, I replied no so they told me to go out, get something and come back in an hour. 

When I came back, I sat waiting until 6pm. When they finally took me to see Col Rubley. He told me they were very busy and could not process me. he gave me a voucher for a plane ticket and a 10 day leave!! and sent me home.” 

Mike Fincher remembers that he had an interesting initial assignment experience. After going to the “mysterious” locked door at 3248 “M” Street, in May 1971, I was told that they were expecting Vietnam War protests all over the City that week and that they couldn’t process me because they were preparing to shelter in-place if necessary. 

I was sent to stay temporarily with a couple of other Swbd. Trainees who lived in the legendary Shirley Duke apartments in Alexandria. As soon as I got there, I received a call that an Uncle that I was very close to (like a grandfather) had died in Atlanta. Knowing I wouldn’t be processing in for a few days, the guys called the WHCA Duty Officer (I think it was Marty Capps) to see if I could go on leave to the funeral. He said no problem and asked how I intended to get there. I said I guess I’d fly commercial. He said don’t do anything until he got back to me. He called back a few minutes later and said to be at Andrews VIP lounge the next morning at 0430 and there would be a flight to Chattanooga which was perfect because that was where my wife was at the time. I showed up in my class A’s with my PFC stripes and the VIP desk Sgt. said my flight would be ready to leave in few minutes. There were no other passengers in the lounge. A few minutes later this Col. and Major came in and one of them grabs my bag and asks me if I was ready to go and we got in a car and drove out to this silver and blue Jetstar. This was one of the JetStar’s that the VP used, and they were dead heading to Chattanooga for some reason I never learned. I was the only passenger. I settled into the big VIP chair and a steward brought me coffee. After we got airborne, the Col. came back and said he was going to take a nap. I thought he just wanted the big chair, so I got up and he said why didn’t I go on up front and keep the Major company. I sat up there in the cockpit in total awe. The Major asked me if my wife knew when to expect me and I said no that I would call when we landed. He asked me for the phone number at my in-laws and then used the radio to call some place called “Crown” and asked for a phone patch to the number. The next thing I know my wife is awakened by a call from the White House signal operator who advises her that the “call is on radio and provides no privacy” We are connected, and I tell her where I am and when to expect me the Chattanooga airport. 

We actually land before she could get there from about 45 miles away and the Colonel and Major took me into the coffee shop at the airport, bought me breakfast and then got back in the plane and took off, to where I don’t know. I was too afraid to ask questions, so I never really learned how all this came about, but it was certainly an impressive way to get introduced to Presidential Service. Obviously, that level of VIP treatment didn’t last very long but for a little while I thought I was really somebody special.

Tom Maier’s orders only said: “Report to 300 M Street, NW, Washington, DC”. My wife (June) and I were familiar with the DC area and easily made our way to Georgetown. We passed by the large white building that we figured *had to be* the right building but weren’t sure of the address. We went past and were able to park right around to corner(try doing THAT today!). June stayed in the car, and I walked up to the big front door and knocked…and knocked…and finally pounded on the door. 

I was just about to give up and go back to the car when the door opened a crack and a face appeared to ask what I wanted. When I said what I was up to, the face said only, “Go down to the corner, turn right and proceed on to the driveway. Walk up the driveway and SOMEONE WILL STOP YOU” and then the door slammed shut.

I walked back to the car and told June what had just transpired. Now, you have to understand that we had seen every single episode of Mission Impossible, so we were more than just a bit taken back by what had just happened.

 

With no small amount of trepidation I followed the mysterious instructions and as it turned out I had made more out of what was said than I should have. Perhaps that is just what the guys there did for yuks.

3248 M St NW entrance  2017

The windows on the left of the front door was the Drafting and Reproduction Branch. The windows to the right was DCAU commander's office. Both on the first floor.  Personnel was just inside the entrance way.  The indoor parking garage was behind Personnel and the Photo Lab was located to the rear of the indoor parking garage on the backside of the building closest to the C and O Canal side.

WHCA’s Audio-Visual Branch stored all of their travel equipment at the shop on M Street. Everyone in the group had their own specific set of equipment... audio mixer, multiple for media feeds, tape recorders, mics and cables. Each individual was responsible to make sure everything was in working order in case of instant travel. The AV Group had their own maintenance shop at M Street where they maintained all the AV gear and stored all the trip packages there. 

WHCA’s Wisconsin Ave entrance in 1974

The Wisconsin St entrance was the main access for all vehicles. As you entered on the left was the Fabrication and Carpenter Shop in a separate building which sat between the Wisconsin Ave entrance and exit gates. The machine shop was adjacent in the main building there was an incinerator outside the carpenter shop for classified burns...that caused some outside interest on occasion, also along the entry drive was a big diesel generator for emergency Power.

As you entered the facility and the Parking garage you immediately saw the WHCA dispatcher who monitored all incoming traffic and access to the parking garage. The call sign for the M Street dispatcher was Checkmate. The Transportation Group also had motor pool was equipped with a lift and a car wash facility. Transportation was responsible for the maintenance of all the WHCA vehicles including the rented station wagons from a civilian contractor and WHCA own trucks and Van's, the rented Chevy Kingswood wagons were eventually replaced with GSA supplied Ford wagons.

On the right was the entrance to the Radio and TV shops. These two groups maintained and repaired all of the Motorola radio Equipment(base stations and  hand held units) HF /SSB radios as well as associated radio and paging consoles, all TV’s were also maintained in this area.

Material and Supply and was located between the Electronics Shop and Budget/Accounting who had a small office located between supply and WHCA Dispatch.

The Comm Center or 13a group had a secure office and crypto vault  on the first floor, behind Transportation.

Crown Radio was located at the "M" street shop on the Second floor above the radio shop and wood shop.  Access to the second floor was by using an outside stairway to the right of the driveway off Wisconsin Ave.

Crown Radio had two consoles one was the DC FM network. The other one was for the  Nationwide System (E/F), and secure voice All of WHCA and USSS FM locations in the Washington DC area terminated there, as well as the Echo/Fox Nationwide air-to-ground Communications for AF1. That was the old E/F console built by Mario Lilla. It was operated from there until Crown Radio moved to the OEOB shortly after the new WECO 608 was cut into service there.

In the basement there was an underground storage vault below the radio shop which belonged to 13A. One nice feature at M Street was the basement barroom where we had our Friday afternoon off-duty beer call -- the most recently promoted guys bought the beer, there were many attitudes adjusted there. The Technical Library was also located in the  basement behind the Keg.

In the five years that I was assigned to Camp David I was sent on roughly forty trips where I left from the shop. All of the equipment needed for every trip was staged at the shop, loaded on box trucks if needed or in the back of station wagon on smaller trips and all personnel would be provided transportation to the various D.C. Airports for departure. Upon the return from all trips and from all groups the equipment would be sent to the shop to test and or repair would be staged for the next trip.

The current store that occupies that spot where the door was located is "H & M". It cannot be verified if the white trim around the doorway of H & M is a reproduction or a real artifact of the facade of the entryway to The M Street door of WHCA. I do not know who had it before them, and maybe it was "Victoria's Secret". Part of the movie "True Lies" with Arnold Schwarzenegger and "No Way Out" with Kevin Costner were filmed in parts of the mall. Arnold may have crashed through the window of Victoria's Secret in the movie.

The Keg: A WHCA Tradition

One of the fondest memories of the M Street shop is undoubtedly "The Keg," our cherished Friday night gathering spot for beer, hot dogs, and Leonard Dry's legendary popcorn. Leonard, who once served as a driver for General Eisenhower during World War II and later for the First Lady during Eisenhower's presidency, was the heart of this tradition. We affectionately named the space the "The Dry Keg" in his honor.

Leonard’s story is as unforgettable as his popcorn. When asked by General Eisenhower why he wanted the job, Leonard replied, “Because I am all ears and no mouth.” That straightforward answer sealed the deal. His popcorn was equally iconic, flavored with his secret recipe: Leonard would chop up jalapeños at home and bring them in a jar every few weeks. When making popcorn, he’d use vegetable oil and about a quarter cup of the jalapeños—juice and all—creating a uniquely spicy, savory treat.

The Keg space itself was officially dedicated to Leonard thanks to Terry Anderson from PASD, who convinced CSM Mix to approve the idea. A sign reading “The Leonard Dry Keg” was crafted and proudly displayed over the door in the McNally Building.

Leonard would arrive every Friday afternoon around 1 PM to start the popcorn and prepare for the festivities. The Keg crew included Andy Jurcak, who worked the event for years alongside Henry Chimeno, Richard Hathaway, and Leonard himself. Leonard’s hot dipping sauces were unmatched, and his stories always captivated the crowd. It was, as Andy described, the best WHCA job he ever held.

Henry Chimeno and Mike Baggot were responsible for keeping the beer kegs stocked, often hauling them from a distributor in Northeast DC to the fourth floor. Richard Starr frequently helped with transportation, and the distributor always offered a generous discount. Back then, a keg cost about $45—a bargain for the good times it fueled.

Bill Rose, reported to "M" St. on a Friday. After being told to shave my mustache, (by SGM Owen), an official photograph, finding a place to stay for the weekend, and still in a suit. He got hauled away by Henry and Randy Lucas in the back of one of the old, green, Dodge vans. No seats in the back, so I was sitting on an empty keg and flying around the back.

We managed to get back before 4:00pm and tap the keg. I was starting to wonder what kind of a group I had fallen into. By 6:00pm the place was in full party mode. I still didn't know how to get to my "temp" quarters, but decided I could always sleep in the car, parked down on Water St. This was just the start of a truly unique and very strange weekend, as well as the start of a 19 year WHCA tour of duty.        

The Keg also marked the beginning of the annual "Shrimp Feast." Admiral Berkeley, one of LBJ’s physicians, a Navy Admiral and friend of WHCA, would bring 40 pounds of steamed shrimp once a month. Over the years, the Keg became a social hub, hosting as many as 250 attendees rotating in and out during their shifts. Even President Carter's brother, Billy Carter, made a memorable appearance.

The camaraderie extended beyond the drinks and food. The Keg was the place where any E7 or above that was promoted was required to have a shrimp fest and to "pay up" if you got ever caught on camera in an embarrassing situation. One troop, who ended up on the cover of Time Magazine, faced a fine doubled, of course.

When WHCA moved from M Street to Building 94, some questioned whether the tradition should continue. Fortunately, the Keg survived, finding a new home in the day room on the fourth floor, complete with a bar, tables, and entertainment like a pool table, ping-pong table, and L.T. Moore’s 1970s jukebox. Singing after a few drinks became an unofficial part of the experience.

Richard Starr managed the Keg during its transition to the McNally Building and ensured the new space included a dedicated area for it. The Keg was eventually relocated to the back of the Theater but remained a cherished tradition. The keg and shrimp fests were such good times. 

Despite occasional attempts to shut it down, such as Col. Nichols’ accusation of "glorifying alcohol consumption," leaders like SGM Jenkins and SGM Moore defended and preserved the Keg. The Friday gatherings continued until the mid-1990s, when the tradition finally came to an end.

Bill Rose was also one of the last persons at "M" St. and he pulled the decorative light fixture by the front door and preyed the 3248 off the door. He recalls, Pete Strack refurbished the light, for the keg, and the address numbers were on a wooden plaque behind the bar. I expect they are long gone! I hope the 3248 still exists somewhere.

I feel sorry for newer WHCA recruits not having that experience walking up and down M St. looking at that door with those numbers and thinking...this can't be right.

 Leonard Dry passed away and was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery, but his legacy lives on. Though the official Keg parties are a thing of the past, the spirit endures as we carry on the tradition of creating our own happy hours every Friday.

CIA HQ

I remember the stories of the WHCA shop as being a secret CIA HQ where it was found out by a local Georgetown rag in the late 60s-early 70s.

The people that worked in Riggs Bank was saying that our paychecks were coming from different parts of the country which was true. Air Force had paychecks from Randolph AFB in Texas, Army checks were coming from Indianapolis, and Navy was from another place. They saw license plates of our POV's from states around the country going into the shop through one gate and then coming out in government cars from the other gate with radio antennas on them. They saw all the antennas fencing on the roof of the building and cameras and speakers down on the street level at all the buildings entrances/exits. WHCA personnel going into a warehouse type of building with suits and ties seemed out of place for this Georgetown location.

CIA building on M St

Folks put all this together and came up with the caption for the article in the local paper saying, "Why is the CIA in Georgetown?" Little did they know that the real CIA was occupying a building in Georgetown, but that was at the end of M Street near Key Bridge in another building called The Car Barn {the building with the clock tower} that was also a trolley car warehouse which was right next door to the stairs used in the film The Exorcist!!! The red building on the right was occupied by the CIA.

The Exorcist Stairs

The WHCA  building and the one the CIA had were leased to the government by the same firm. 

In the early 1970’s the decision was made to move the shop to a more secure location in  Anacostia.  Over a period of time a phased move was coordinated to relocate all Groups and Departments to their new location. When WHCA vacated the location that was the “shop” in Georgetown the building was totally remodeled and was turned into a a very upscale mall, the Georgetown Park Mall now occupies the space on M St.

Georgetown Park Mall M St Entrance 

This is the inside of Georgetown Park today, on the same level which all the cars parked, the WHCA dispatcher, besides some of the offices at the WHCA facility at 3248 M Street.

First floor interior of the Georgetown Park Mall

Wisconsin Ave Entrance Today

The shop was a drab place in the late sixties, unlike today's décor. It was in a good spot, though -- right across from Blues Alley and just down the street from Mister Henry's, the Cellar Door and other late-night fun spots. Henry Kissinger used to take his movie-star girlfriends for dinner at the Rive Gauche restaurant next door. Here is a picture of the inside of Rive Gauche where President Ford also ate a couple of times. 

Rive Gauche Restaurant

The shop in Georgetown was the center of operations for all scheduled trips both domestic and overseas, all of the equipment necessary to support the communications necessary to support the President was maintained, staged, and shipped came from the “Shop”. When we were assigned to travel, we only had to show up with a suitcase without worrying if the equipment would be ready to go.  My hats off to the staff who worked there to make sure the teams had everything we needed to successfully complete our mission.

The Camp David Communications Detachment (Cannonball)-revised

 

Experiences at Cannonball
Our House near LeMasters PA (2009)
Type Of Activity	Experiences while at Cannonball
Location
Location	Mercersburg Pa
Date of Activity	Mar 1967 to Jun 1970
Coordinates	+39.648333N  -77.466667 W

17 March 1967 to Cannonball a Remote Communications Facility

I spent many days and nights at Cannonball in the mid 60's. Two Microwave repairmen stationed at Camp David went TDY for a week at a time to Cannonball a microwave repeater tower which was located on a 2600 ft peak (Cross Mountain) near Mercersburg Pa. On Monday morning they would leave Camp David with enough groceries for a week’s stay in a concrete silo. There were no windows in the nine-floor structure so unless you went down to the entrance and went outdoors you had no idea of what the weather was like outside. There were two people permanently assigned to the facility (Terry Fields and Al Jensen) and when they went home in the evening, they were left without transportation at night, so keeping yourself occupied was a real challenge. Nobody knew what went on during nights and weekend when the guys were left alone and to this day almost nobody has incremented themselves.

I remember a Radio Tech at Det 3 that volunteered to go up there a couple times so he could go hunting "after hours"? He always had venison in his freezer. l knew many people did hunt during deer season! We wore bright colored clothing and made lots of noise when we went outside!! A hunt club presently owns the property including the access road.

 In March of 1967 I was permanently assigned to a microwave relay site named Cannonball.  It was ironic because, it was located on Cross Mountain, near Mercersburg Pennsylvania.  Joanne and I initially rented an old farmhouse in LeMasters, Pa. we lived their approximately six months and then moved down the road about mile. Nothing could have prepared my wife, Joanne for the isolation she would have to experience when I was given this assignment.  The town we lived near, LeMasters had a population of 26 people, the downtown consisted of a bank, general store and a grain elevator and our next-door neighbors were Mennonite.  Every Sunday there would be quite a bit of horse and buggy traffic as they went to church. Joanne was a city girl, born and raised in Chicago and never went more than 100 miles in any direction before we were married, she did not drive because she never needed transportation and you talk about living in the boonies. LeMasters had a population of 26 people, and we were four of those people.

LeMasters Pa (1967)

There was a pistol range at the back of Camp David; we qualified with 38 cal. pistols at that range. When I took over at Cannonball I became the Site Crypto Custodian, which meant that I had to qualify with the 38. Over the years we had loads of fun with the air transport crews and sky marshals all because we were carrying concealed weapons against air travel regulations. With every other flight being hijacked to Cuba, I can understand why they were so touchy.

7 Sep 67 to Lemoyne PA to AT&T 1A1 Key Telephone Training

The telephone system utilized at Cannonball tower was a 1A1 Key System since I knew nothing about the 1A1, and I was responsible for the installation and repair of new and existing equipment I attended training at the AT&T Training Center in Lemoyne PA. 

The three week course covered the Key Service Unit (KSU), power supply, and various telephone sets used in the system.  This training would turn out to be very valuable as I would re-cable or rewire the system several times before we closed the tower in 1970 and the system was removed.

Typical Six Button Rotary Dial Telephone Set

1A1 KSU Key Service Unit

Chuck Duval a friend of ours married a girl that he met at that secretarial school in Hagerstown, he and his wife Barbra lived in Blue Ridge Summit right next to the US Post Office. This is where we rented an apartment for a couple of months while we were waiting for housing at Camp David to open up.

The old Post Office in Blue Ridge Summit PA

We were living in LeMasters Pa. at this time. Chuck and Barb had a party at their apartment shortly after they were married and of course Dale Anderson and all of the guy's from Camp David attended, well around midnight we decided to leave the wives who were playing cards and go down to get a drink at the Monterey Tea House.  We had to cross in front of the post office in order to get to where our cars were parked, well one thing led to another and the next thing that I knew Chuck had been attached to the flag pole and Dale with some help had raised him to the Top and tied him off.  We all had a good laugh and slowly lowered him to the ground. As we were walking to the cars to leave, two cars of men drove in and blocked our retreat. They all belonged to the Blue Ridge Summit Auxiliary Police Department and told us that someone had reported that we were trying to break in to the Post Office.  After some fast talking and that Chuck lived next door, they told us to keep the noise down and left. No wonder Mr. Horst felt like he was running a loony bin!

Our neighbors knew that I worked for the Government but never asked where.  The people that lived around Mercersburg and Greencastle thought that Cannonball was a water tower.  Our families knew that I was with the White House and did visit us but never knew any details of what went on at Cannonball or Camp David. All they ever knew was that I had something to do with communications and that I traveled a lot with the President and VP.  Our friendships were pretty much with the Seabee’s (Al Jensen and Bud Evans) both assigned to Cannonball and some of the WHCA people that I worked with from Camp David. 

At home in LeMasters PA

Our daughter, Kathie was born in Chambersburg Pa. on Jan 8, 1969, and because of a flu outbreak the hospital would not allow visitors. I was only able to take the kids as far as the parking lot to see Joanne and wave to her at her room window.  We first saw Kathie when we brought her and Joanne home from the hospital!

The Crosses (1968) 

Bob with Kathie (1969)

18 May 69 to Norfolk VA for technical training of an HF Radio System        

I was sent to the Naval Training Center in Norfolk VA for training on the URT-23, which was a single sideband HF radio transceiver. WHCA was in the Process of adding this system to all overseas packages and needed qualified technicians. I was there for ten days and for the first time since I was assigned to WHCA I was required to wear uniforms. WHCA would widely use these whenever long-range communications were required and would be included in the CCT’s standard equipment package!

URT 23-A Overseas Trip Package

In the spring of 1969, we decided to move into an apartment in Greencastle, PA., the house that we were living in had only two bedrooms and with the arrival of Kathie we needed more room.

Antrim Apartments in Greencastle Pa. (1969)

We Learned that Al Jensen our Navy Seabee was being transferred, Bud Evans would replace Al in July of 1969.  Bud and his family would end up renting the apartment directly above ours in Greencastle.

We were in the middle of several major construction projects at the Tower that kept us busy the remainder of the year. First Project was to resurface the access road on Cross Mountain leading to Cannonball. There were also plans to add guard rail in multiple locations along the access road. This was really appreciated by all of whom had to plow snow in the wintertime as there had been several close calls in the past.

We also completed construction on an 80ft tubular tower with a new Log Periodic HF antenna to increase our capabilities as the Remote Transmitter site For Cactus. We also installed a 4 port Multi-coupler that would allow us to use several transmitters to simultaneously use this new antenna.

The final and largest project was the shock mounting of the entire tower! Several things took place, steel reinforced walls were added to the elevator shaft on all floors and the Air Handling (AC) units were all remounted on an angle iron plat form and hung on springs from the ceiling on all floors. The final step we needed to do was to temporally move all our operational equipment, so a platform could be built and suspended by large springs on every floor. Once the new suspended floor was completed, we then reinstalled all the equipment on the platform. All this was completed while the traffic on our microwave routes was uninterrupted.

Agnew Fund raiser in Phoenix AZ

When the shock mount project was complete, I started to travel again, this time supporting the Vice President. When I returned home from a trip with VP Agnew to Phoenix AZ, I found out that we were going to close Cannonball. We knew that we were going to be transferred, but didn’t know where. A couple of months later we were told, San Clemente CA. the Western White House!