09 Sep OSS Headquarters
Hedy’s locations in Washington DC
The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in Washington, D.C. was headquartered in a complex of buildings northwest of the Lincoln Memorial on what is known as “Navy Hill” … originally the site of the Old Navy Observatory, built in 1843. The official address is 2430 E Street, N.W. Some of the surrounding area was demolished to make a freeway but at the time the buildings overlooked a Brewery and a skating rink.
Today there are still some CIA offices there. The area is secured, and the public is not allowed to wander in. I am told that they are clearly visible from the Kennedy Center just west of the site.
In the map on the right is shown where the OSS Offices were. Hedy’s apartments/boarding houses were all nearby.
Photograph from “Donovan of OSS” written by Corey Ford; Little,Brown and Company; Boston 1970; p. 123.
Photograph on the left is of the headquarters of the Office of the Coordinator of Information (COI) and then the Office of Strategic Services (OSS.) General William J. Donovan’s office was on the first floor.
If you study this and the middle building in the Bird’s Eye view below, you will see that they are certainly one and the same.
This aerial view shows the three remaining buildings at the site. I am indebted to the two gentlemen who have helped me thus far. If anyone has additional information, if you will email me at Pat@LibertyLadyBook.com I will elaborate here.
Dick
Posted at 15:53h, 21 SeptemberPat DiGeorge wrote, “The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was headquartered in a complex of buildings west of the Lincoln Memorial . . .”
I beg your pardon. West of the Lincoln Memorial is the Potomac River.
Pat DiGeorge wrote, “. . . Kennedy Center just east of the site.”
The Kennedy Center is west of the site.
Pat DiGeorge
Posted at 11:15h, 22 SeptemberThank you for being such a good editor! I think I was typing too fast that day. I have changed the directions to read that the OSS offices are northwest of the Lincoln Memorial and that the Kennedy Center is west of the site. THANKS, Pat
Lloyd H.
Posted at 21:18h, 19 MarchObviously some time has passed and I hope that the editor of this page is well. I actually work across the street from Navy Hill but have access to the South building, as you designated correctly in the bird’s eye view. I actually stumbled upon the OSS headquarters as I frequently like to purposely get lost. I was exiting the south building’s front entrance, walking across the asphalt pavement and happened to look to my right and notice this gold, circular wall marker. Come to find out, upon walking up the marble steps, it was the OSS memorial marker if you will. In the middle in big font, is “OSS”, with the full name wrapped above and around the edge. Don’t have access to that building, but thought I’d share.