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SEPTEMBER 2016 $4.75 THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF MOAA | NEVER STOP SERVING®
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leaders direct the successful construction of the world’s largest office and then direct the building of the first nuclear weapon.
“ Not many
—Lt. Col. Edward L. Arnold, USA (Ret)
”
He’ll Take Manhattan In Mark Cantrell’s recent article “Built to Last” [September 2016] about the incredible effort to erect the Pentagon in only 16 months, he mentions that Army Col. Leslie Groves headed the Army’s part of the effort.
This is the same Leslie Groves who, as a major general, headed the Manhattan Project, the effort to make the first atomic bomb — obviously a real go-to guy for big, complex projects! —Cmdr. Michael C. West, USN (Ret) Life Member
Ponte Vedra, Fla.
“Built to Last” was so interesting. As a young officer in the Corps of Engineers, it was an honor to have direct discus- sions with Maj. Gen. Leslie Groves as he related some details on the building of the Pentagon. Later, while a member of the faculty
at West Point, [retired Major General] Groves accepted an invitation to pres- ent a lecture to the second classmen in the time frame 1962-63. He did briefly mention the building of the Pentagon, but the invitation was specifically to speak on another project he directed as part of the early undergraduate course on Atomic and Nuclear Physics. It was not mentioned in the [Military Officer] article that after his success building the Pentagon, he was directed to head the Manhattan Project. We all know where the success of that project has taken us. What a great leader this unassum- ing officer General Groves displayed. Not many leaders direct the successful construction of the world’s largest office and then direct the building of the first nuclear weapon. — Lt. Col. Edward L. Arnold, USA (Ret)
Hilton Head (S.C.) Chapter, Life Member via email
10 MILITARY OFFICER NOVEMBER 2016
Editor’s note: We offer our apologies to members of NOAA’s Commissioned Officer Corps for this gaffe.
Air Force Accuracy I retired from the Air Force April 1, 1974. I always thought the colors were blue and silver. Established on Sept. 18, 1947, and the motto was “Fly and Fight.” Since I enlisted in March 1954 and got com- missioned in 1957, these were the truths. Either I was wrong all these years, or someone changed them while I wasn’t looking. I still have my doubts about the colors being golden yellow. When I enlisted, some of us were still wearing Army clothing with Air Force blue rank. I was issued a blue Ike jacket with my initial uniforms. I enjoy your magazine, but those items didn’t seem accurate. — Maj. Harvey Margulies, USAF (Ret) Life Member via email
Editor’s note: In gathering information for this and other infographics (including this issue’s, on the Marine Corps, on pages 22-23), we use official sources to gather information. For example, we verified the current Air Force motto (which was selected
Oceanographic Error Your electronic dictionary apparently thinks “oceanic” should be written as “oceanographic.” My reference is to the September issue of Military Officer, [“Washington Scene,”] page 29, bottom of the left-hand column where the maga- zine has “and the National Oceanograph- ic and Atmospheric Administration.” The word “oceanographic” is incorrect. The word should be “oceanic.” — Capt. Glen R. Schaefer, NOAA (Ret) Life Member
Fort Atkinson, Wis.
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