The Pentagon 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 building was dedicated on January 15, 1943. General Brehon Somervell provided the major motivating power behind the project; Colonel Leslie Groves was responsible for overseeing the
Construction of the Virginia approaches to Arlington Memorial Bridge group studied the Lee Highway and other approaches to the bridge on November 15, and on December 4 the CFA said it would approve any approach that Virginia and Arlington County did. For the first time since 1931, construction on the approach occurred in 1934. WPA money was used to hire laborers to begin the extension of the roadway past Lee Boulevard toward the cemetery. Construction created a number of traffic hazards. By April 1935, the road had reached Fort Myer and Arlington National Cemetery. Survey work showed that a lower grade could be achieved by altering the route, but