Frank Wills (security guard) facts for kids

Frank Wills (born February 4, 1948 – died September 27, 2000) was a security guard. He became famous for stopping a break-in at the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C. This happened on June 17, 1972. At 24 years old, Wills found that door locks had been tampered with. He quickly called the police.

Five men were arrested inside the offices of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). They had planned to place hidden listening devices there. These arrests led to the Watergate scandal. This major political event eventually caused President Richard Nixon to resign in 1974.

This red building was once the home of Frank Wills. It is in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C.

Even though many saw him as a hero, Frank Wills did not get much money or a promotion. He later found it hard to find steady work. He appeared in the media and played himself in the 1976 movie All the President's Men. But he spent much of his life without a job and in poverty.

Frank Wills' Early Life

Frank Wills was born in Savannah, Georgia. His parents separated when he was a child. His mother, Margie, mostly raised him.

He left high school in 11th grade. Later, he studied how to operate heavy machines. He earned his high school equivalency degree from the Job Corps. Frank Wills then got a job at Ford Motor Company in Detroit, Michigan. He had to leave this job because of health problems like asthma. After that, he moved to Washington, D.C. He worked at a few hotels before becoming a security guard at the Watergate hotel.

The Watergate Break-in

In June 1972, Frank Wills was 24 years old. He worked as a security guard at the Watergate complex. This building was located near the Potomac River. The headquarters for the Democratic National Committee (DNC) were inside this building.

Wills had worked there for a year. The building was considered very safe. Security officers only carried mace for protection.

On the night of June 17, Wills was doing his first security check. He noticed a piece of duct tape on a door lock. The tape was placed over the latch to stop the door from closing properly. He removed the tape and continued his patrol. About 30 minutes later, Wills checked the same door again. He saw that more tape had been put on it.

Without waiting, Wills quickly went to a lobby telephone. He called the police. The police arrived and helped Wills search the offices. They turned off the elevators and locked the doors. They found five men inside the DNC offices. Wills remembered later, "When we turned the lights on, one person, then two persons, then three persons came out, and on down the line." The details that came out during their questioning led to the Watergate scandal. The five men arrested were Bernard L. Barker, Virgilio Gonzalez, Eugenio Martinez, James W. McCord Jr., and Frank Sturgis.

After the Break-in

After the Watergate break-in, Frank Wills received a small pay raise. He had hoped for a promotion, but he did not get one.

According to The New York Times, Wills left his job because he did not get the raise he wanted. He then struggled to stay employed. Media appearances often took him away from work. Most of his jobs paid minimum wage.

Wills played himself in the 1976 movie All the President's Men. This movie was based on a book by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. Their book was about their investigation into the Watergate scandal. Wills also appeared briefly on TV talk shows.

A scene showing Wills discovering the taped door was in the 2017 film The Post. This movie was directed by Steven Spielberg and starred Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks.

The 2022 TV series Gaslit also shows Wills. It shows him making his rounds and finding the taped door twice.

Frank Wills' log entry from June 17, 1972, at 1:47 a.m. is kept at the National Archives.

Later Life and Challenges

For the next 20 years, Frank Wills found it hard to settle down. He often struggled to find work. He moved between Washington, D.C. and other southern cities. He also spent some time in The Bahamas. He said that Howard University was afraid to hire him. A security job at Georgetown University did not last long. He also worked for a short time as a spokesperson for a diet food company.

In the mid-1970s, Wills moved to North Augusta, South Carolina. He went there to care for his aging mother, who had suffered a stroke. They lived on her Social Security checks.

Frank Wills often spoke about his role in Watergate. In 1992, on the 20th anniversary of the break-in, reporters asked if he would do it again. Wills replied, "It was just a part of destiny." That same year, Wills told a Boston Globe reporter, "I put my life on the line. I went out of my way.... If it wasn't for me, Woodward and Bernstein would not have known anything about Watergate." Wills also said, "Everybody tells me I'm some kind of hero, but I certainly don't have any hard evidence. I did what I was hired to do but still I feel a lot of folk don't want to give me credit, that is, a chance to move upward in my job".

Frank Wills lived a quiet life. He tended his garden and spent time at the local library. Frank Wills died at the Medical College of Georgia hospital in Augusta, Georgia. He was 52 years old and died from a brain tumor.

Recognition for Frank Wills

The NAACP honored Frank Wills. This civil rights organization gave him a truck.

Musician Harry Nilsson dedicated his 1973 album A Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night to Wills. He did this because of Wills' role in the events that led to Richard Nixon leaving office.

The Democratic National Committee gave Wills an award. The chairman said Wills played "a unique role in the history of the nation."

According to Wills' obituary in The New York Times, his role in American history was best described on July 29, 1974. On that day, Rep. James Mann said: "If there is no accountability, another president will feel free to do as he chooses. But the next time there may be no watchman in the night." This quote highlighted the importance of Wills' actions.