Dwight Eisenhower's Toilets

Dwight Eisenhower was the Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Western Europe during World War II. He planned and led all major operations in the Western European Theatre of Operations, with OVERLORD, the Allied invasion of Normandy beginning 5/6 June 1944, the biggest of all.

A few years after the war he served as the commander of NATO.

In 1952 and 1956 he was elected to two terms as President of the U.S.A.

During his years as President he owned a farm near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and used it as a retreat and a place to meet with other world leaders like Churchill (whose chamber pot I have on another page), De Gaulle, and Krushchev.

He then retired to the farm and lived there the rest of his life. After his wife Mamie died, it has been opened for tours. Very interesting! And of course, the house includes a bathroom...

Presidents Roosevelt and Truman had both used transport aircraft: Roosevelt had the Sacred Cow and Truman the Independence.

Following the emerging pattern of upgrading the Presidential transport aircraft with each new man to hold the office, Eisenhower used the Columbine II and Columbine III.

His original Columbine had been his World War II transport, and Columbine II his first Presidential transport.

Columbine II and Columbine III were Lockheed C-121 Constellations. The last was designated as a VC-121E to reflect its modifications and VIP transport status.

Columbine III had four Wright R-3350-91 engines producing 3,250 horsepower each, providing a maximum speed of 299 mph, a range of 4,250 miles, and a service ceiling of 25,000 feet.

The executive cabin was in the rear. Here we see the executive lavatory area. We're looking back, the curved bulkhead to the left is the right side of the fuselage.

Eisenhower brought some upgrades to the Presidential aircraft, including teletype, television, and improved air to ground voice links.

The number of staff and press corps accompanying the President also continued to rise.

Here we see a staff and crew lavatory on board the Columbine III, very similar to what is found on present commercial airliners.

Eisenhower was the first President to fly under the callsign of Air Force One, because of an incident in 1953. An Eastern Airlines commercial flight, Eastern 8610, was using very nearly the same callsign as the Presidential flight, Air Force 8610. The airline accidentally entered the same airspace given the confusingly similiar callsigns.

"Air Force One" was introduced for the Presidential aircraft, becoming official only in 1959.

Rose George's The Big Necessity: The Unmentionable World of Human Waste and Why It Matters is a fascinating description of sanitation conditions around the world. "2.6 billion people don't have sanitation. [....] Four in ten people have no access to any latrine, toilet, bucket, or box."

In September 2009, Morna Gregory and Sian James published a book titled Toilets of the World. It's pretty much the same theme that you find here — photographs and commentary on other people's plumbing.

The Porcelain God: A Social History of the Toilet, by Julie Horan, contends that civilization began with the toilet.

Toilet: Public Restrooms and the Politics of Sharing, edited by Laura Noren and Harvey Molotch, has essays by anthropologists, sociologists, and architects on the importance of the toilet, especially for urban dwellers.

Latrinae Et Foricae: Toilets in the Roman World describes the toilets of the Roman Empire from Iberia to Syria, and from North Africa to Hadrian's Wall in Britannia.

Toilets, Bathtubs, Sinks, and Sewers: A History of the Bathroom, explains the history of personal cleanliness and hygiene to children in grades 5-8.

If you're not bored yet, you might be interested in (or at least tolerate):

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