Gary Walters worked in the White House for 37 years. Here’s what the chief usher saw

WASHINGTON (AP) — Gary Walters has seen a lot of history in the 37 years he spent working in the White House, where he started as an officer charged with protecting the President and ended as the longest-serving person. chief bailiff in history.

The head usher position is the top job in the residence, comparable to a general manager, overseeing administrative, financial and personnel functions, as well as maintenance, construction and renovation projects, and food service. A staff of approximately 90 to 100 housekeepers, cleaners, cooks, florists, electricians, engineers, plumbers and others report to the head usher.

It was Walter’s job to run the White House on behalf of presidents and first ladies because, as he noted, “They have enough on their plate.”

While discussing his new book, “White House Memoirs 1970-2007: Memoirs of the Longest-Serving Chief Evangelist,” out Monday on Dec. 5, Walters said he served under Democratic and Republican presidents and “it had nothing to do with politics.”

“We served the presidency,” he said.

Walters began his career as an officer in the Executive Protective Service, tasked with helping protect Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. He joined Usher’s Office as an assistant in 1976 and was promoted to chief usher a decade later, 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 September 11

The White House was preparing for its annual Congressional Picnic on the day of the September 11 attacks. Staff were ordered to leave for their safety, but Walters and a half-dozen others remained behind.

More than 160 tables were set up on the South Lawn for the event. Walters said he knew President George W. Bush, who was attending an event in Sarasota, Florida, would want to return to the White House, but tables blocked the usual landing area for the presidential helicopter, Marine One.

So Walters and his remaining crew began clearing the grass by hand, moving some of the heavy tables around to make room for Marine One to land.

“I knew in my heart that the president would speak to the American people,” Walters said after the attack. Bush then addressed the nation on prime-time television from the Oval Office.

While he and staff were working, Walters said he heard erroneous reports of an explosion at the State Department. Hearing a loud explosion at another point, he looked southwest and saw a cloud of smoke and fire from the plane that had crashed into the Pentagon.

Another plane was said to be in the air. Walters said he believed the plane was going to the White House, but the plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania after passengers clashed with the hijackers.

“To this day, I believe those brave Americans who caused that plane to crash in a field in Shanksville saved my life,” Walters said, describing “of course the scariest day I’ve ever spent in the White House.”

Teddy bears for the elder Bush’s grandchildren

Maureen Reagan, one of President Reagan’s daughters, distributed teddy bears to children’s hospitals while traveling abroad. When a shipment of bears didn’t make it in time for one of their trips, Walters put it in storage.

Fast forward to President George HW Bush’s Inauguration Day. The new president’s entire family, including his children and some bored grandchildren, was with him at the White House that night.

Walters remembered the stuffed animals. She went to the warehouse where she kept the last shipment, took some of the bears, and put one in each grandchild’s bed.

Burning logs were thrown onto Truman’s balcony

As Reagan and his wife, Nancy Reagan, prepared to invite guests to a dinner in their private room on the upper floor of the residence, Walters was horrified to see smoke billowing from under the doors of the Yellow Oval Room. The fireplace there was often lit to enhance the atmosphere of after-dinner entertainment.

But on this particular night, when Walters returned after checking the other rooms on the floor, he found the Yellow Oval engulfed in smoke and a housekeeper using newspaper to ventilate it.

When asked if the chimneys were open, the butler said to Walters, “I thought they were open.”

Walters grabbed fire tools to separate the burning logs and reached down to open the chimney. He also opened the door to the Truman Balcony and some windows to ventilate the room. He shouted at the police officer on duty at the South Portico to move away as he threw the burning logs over the railing.

Moist towels were placed at the foot of the Yellow Oval Room doors to prevent smoke from entering, while fans were brought inside along with air fresheners and scented candles.

While Walters later informed the Reagans about the accident, the staff worked for hours (during cocktails and dinner) to clear the smoke.

“The evening passed as if nothing had happened,” Walters said.