The Pentagon 3,460 recipients of the Medal of Honor, the United States' highest military decoration. The Hall is also used for promotions, retirements, and other ceremonies. Notes Bibliography The Pentagon The Pentagon, in Arlington County, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense. As a symbol of the U.S. military, the phrase "The Pentagon" is often used as a metonym for the Department of Defense and its leadership. The building was designed by American architect George Bergstrom and built by contractor John McShain. Ground was broken on September 11, 1941, and the
Construction of the Virginia approaches to Arlington Memorial Bridge Sinclair, who proposed a series of roads radiating outward from the bridge. Multiple routes were considered by Arlington County and Virginia officials to implement the Sinclair plan. At the time, Lee Boulevard was being built from Seven Corners eastward toward Arlington National Cemetery. Construction officials announced in July 1926 that Lee Boulevard. would go south around Arlington National Cemetery, then proceed up the Potomac River shoreline to either connect with Arlington Memorial Bridge near the cemetery's main gate or bridge the Boundary Channel to connect with the roads on Columbia Island. However, in December 1926, the CFA learned that Arlington