WASHINGTON – Gary Walters, with an impressive tenure of 37 years at the White House, witnessed a significant slice of history. His journey began as an officer tasked with presidential protection and culminated in becoming the longest-serving chief usher in the institution’s history.
As the chief usher, Walters held the top managerial position within the residence, akin to a general manager. His responsibilities spanned overseeing maintenance, construction, renovation projects, and food services, alongside handling administrative, financial, and personnel functions. He managed a diverse team of 90 to 100 staff members, including butlers, housekeepers, cooks, florists, electricians, engineers, and plumbers.
Walters’ role was to efficiently manage the White House operations on behalf of the presidents and first ladies, allowing them to focus on their broader responsibilities. “They’ve got enough on their plate to deal with,” he remarked.
Throughout his service, Walters worked under both Democratic and Republican administrations, maintaining a non-partisan stance. “We served the presidency,” he emphasized, reflecting on his career as he introduced his forthcoming book, “White House Memories 1970-2007: Recollections of the Longest-Serving Chief Usher,” set to release on December 5th.
His career began in the Executive Protective Service, where he was charged with safeguarding Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. In 1976, Walters transitioned to the Usher’s Office as an assistant, eventually being appointed chief usher in 1986. He served under Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush, before retiring in 2007.
Walters began his career as an officer in the Executive Protective Service with an assignment to help protect presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. He joined the Usher’s Office as an assistant in 1976 and, a decade later, was promoted to chief usher, serving Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Walters retired in 2007.
Here are a few of the stories Walters shared at Monday’s event.
Making room for Marine One to land on 9/11
The White House had been getting ready for the annual Congressional Picnic the day of the Sept. 11 attacks. Staff were ordered to leave for their safety, but Walters and a half dozen others stayed behind.
The South Lawn was set up with more than 160 tables for the event. Walters said he knew President George W. Bush — who had been at an event in Sarasota, Florida — would want to return to the White House, but the tables blocked the usual landing pad for Marine One, the presidential helicopter.
So Walters and his remaining staff began to clear the lawn by hand, carrying some of the heavy tables to the perimeter to make room for Marine One to touch down.
“I just knew in my heart the president was going to talk” to the American people after the attack, Walters said. Bush later delivered a prime-time, televised address to the nation from the Oval Office.
As he and the staff worked, Walters said he heard the erroneous reports of an explosion at the State Department. Hearing a loud boom at another point, he looked toward the southwest and saw a plume of smoke and fire, from the plane that hit the Pentagon.
They were told yet another plane was in the air. Walters said he believed it was bound for the White House, but it instead crashed into a Pennsylvania field after the passengers fought the hijackers.
“To this day I believe those brave Americans that caused that plane to go down in a field in Shanksville saved my life,” Walters said, describing “the most frightening day, obviously, that I’d ever spent at the White House.”
Teddy bears for the elder Bush’s grandchildren
Maureen Reagan — one of President Reagan’s daughters — gave out stuffed teddy bears at children’s hospitals when she traveled abroad. When a shipment of bears didn’t make it in time for one of her trips, Walters put it into storage.
Fast forward to Inauguration Day for President George H.W. Bush. The new president had his entire family with him at the White House that night, including his children and some very bored grandchildren.
Walters remembered the stuffed animals. He went to the warehouse where he had stored the late shipment, got some of the bears and put one on each grandchild’s bed.
Burning logs tossed over the Truman Balcony
As Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan prepared to welcome guests to a dinner in the private upstairs quarters of the residence, Walters was horrified to see smoke coming from beneath the doors of the Yellow Oval Room. The fireplace there usually was lit to add to the ambience for the post-dinner entertainment.
But on this particular night, as Walters returned from checking on other rooms on the floor, he found the Yellow Oval engulfed in smoke and a butler using a newspaper to fan it.
Asked if the flue had been opened, the butler told Walters, “I thought it was open.”
Walters grabbed fire utensils to separate the burning logs and reached in and opened the flue. He also opened the door to the Truman Balcony and some windows to air out the room. He yelled down for the police officer stationed at the South Portico to move away as he threw the burning logs over the railing.
Damp towels were put at the foot of the Yellow Oval Room doors to keep in the smoke, while fans were brought in along with air fresheners and scented candles.
Walters then informed the Reagans of the mishap while the staff worked for hours — during cocktails and dinner — to clear the smoke.
“The evening went along as if nothing had happened,” Walters said.
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