Pentagon Staff Broke Eisenhower's Antique Globe While Carrying Out Hegset's Instructions

Photo Fact.

Earlier this year, Pentagon staff were moving one of two antique floor globes believed to have belonged to the 34th U.S. president Dwight Eisenhower—and dropped it. The artifact was broken, sources told The Washington Post. The U.S. Department of Defense confirmed the damage.

Historical artifacts at the Pentagon are usually moved by a team of qualified specialists. When the department’s head Pete Hegset wanted to reposition one of the globes (both date from 1930), the Army unit that owned the globe planned to consult with experts from the U.S. Army Center of Military History regarding its safe transport; however, the historians were on leave due to the government shutdown. Hegset’s staff were unable to contact them and decided to move the artifact on their own, according to the publication’s sources at the Pentagon.

They failed to hold onto the fragile globe and dropped it during transport. As a result, a hole several inches in size (one inch = 2.54 cm) formed in the area representing Antarctica. The spherical part broke away from its mount, and the globe no longer rotates, the Pentagon said in response to a request from the publication. The statement notes that the damage occurred on February 3 during an “attempt to move” the artifact.

Journalists requested to examine and photograph the broken artifact. They were officially denied access, but unnamed sources still provided the publication with photographs.

According to sources interviewed by the article’s author, Dan Lamot, “some” at the Pentagon were horrified by what had happened. Others, however, joked about it.

The journalist notes that the historians’ vacation ended on the very same day the globe was damaged. He asked his sources why department staff didn’t wait for the experts. Apparently, it was due to a “lack of patience,” his source explained.

In the end, the globe was never delivered to Hegset’s office; it is currently being repaired, according to a statement from the department.

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