It was an anonymous box on the oldest Naval reservation in the nation: the Washington Navy Yard. Building 213 is gone now, part of the re-development of the Washington Navy Yard. I had been meaning to tell you story, but did not get around to it. I am in a cab shortly to Dulles and points west, and this is the easy way out for a harried scribbler this morning.
Building 213 was a fascinating place- the center of photographic interpretation, jointly operated by the CIA and the Department of Defense. It was called the National Photographic Interpretation Center. It was a nice facility and very hush-hush. It was much better than the old Ford Dealership building that had been used in WWII days in DC, with the Spooks coming and going and no new cars for sale anywhere due to the War Effort.
They did all sorts of imagery exploitation- from all the sources. Aircraft- first high-flying military ones like the Mosquitoes that overflew Germany daily throughout the war, flying so fast and so high that they could never be shot down or intercepted.
Then came the Cold War birds, the U2 Dragon Lady and the SR-71 Blackbirds, the coolest airplane that ever took to the skies.
And then, in parallel, came the really big secrets: the amazing capabilities of the space-based systems that turned science fiction into the daily business of the craft of intelligence.
I got a note from our pal Point Loma when I was talking about the removal of the ex-USS Barry from her ceremonial birth at the Yard, and he reminded me of how it was in SW DC back in the day.
He remembered I remember the first time he visited there, indoctrinated into the mysteries, and it was pretty much the same for all of us who worked in the business.
Those were the days that the drunks hung around the oil drums filled with burning scrap wood, the women who worked in the building were escorted by armed guards to their cars, and the sound of gunfire on M Street was the norm in the evening when the powers of darkness were exalted.
Point Loma was the presiding at a military retirement in 2011on Barry. They local officials said it was in danger of sinking at the pier them, then so imagine what that would have looked like? It would have been a metaphor, for sure…
The Yard is an interesting place- here’s a great story about how 60 Minutes ‘outed’ Building 213. If you recall, it had no sign on it and we weren’t allowed to name it in public. Correspondent Morley Safer goes down there with a camera crew:
“What is this building in the Washington Navy Yard, with the bricked up windows, massive security, and people who come and go so quickly and quietly? Could this be another top secret facility of the US intelligence community? We’re here to find out.”
He then tries to stop and interview people going to and coming from 213 but no one will talk about it. he then went across the street where this old wino was sitting on a park bench in front of a liquor store.
“Sir, can you tell me something about that building across the street? what is it?”
The wino squinted up at him.
“That one there? that’sh NPIC.”
It had a sign on it by the end of the week after the 60 Minutes segment had run.
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