Interrogations & Intelligence: A World War II Story of P.O. Box 1142

In 1942, the United States War Department was issued a permit to use the land of Fort Hunt Park that is located just 6 miles away from Old Town, Alexandria. What was established there? A top-secret military intelligence facility only known by its mailing address, P.O. Box 1142. During the War, three operations took place to aid the Allies in winning the war: MIS-Y (interrogation of Germans POWs), MIS-X (escape and evade program), and MIRS (creating the "Red Book"). This lecture will delve into each of these operations, the facility's connections to Old Town, Alexandria, as well as the reason why the facility remained a secret to the public until the early 2000s.

After she became a Lee-Fendall staff member in 2023, Jenny Waters created a World War II Walking Tour of Alexandria which she offers regularly. During her research for this tour, she came upon the fascinating story of P.O. Box 1142. In addition to her other duties at the museum, Jenny continues her research on the military facility. Jenny's future research will delve into the women's history of P.O. Box 1142 and the two Women's Army Corps (WAC) captains who worked at the facility during the Second World War.

Tickets are $10 to the general public and free for museum members. Members please call at (703) 548-1789 to reserve your tickets. It is highly recommended to book tickets in advance as space is limited.