THIS DAY IN VIRGINIA HISTORY
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January 15, 1943
Construction on the Pentagon Was Completed
On January 15, 1943, construction workers completed what was then the largest ground- area building in the world, the new headquarters of the United States Department of War, in Arlington County. Construction had begun on September 11, 1941. The building was known for its unusual shape, a pentagon, and after 1947 it was the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense. This image is from the Fairchild Aerial Surveys, which became one of the largest and most successful aerial photography companies in the United States. The company was founded by Sherman M. Fairchild (1896–1971), an innovator in sound engineering, photography, and aviation.
