This was way back in the mid-1970s.
Seems he could call up modems at CIA's Langley headquarters and make them deliver the goods (so to speak).
I can only imagine that 35 years of R&D has improved everyone's skill levels!
The Cuckoo’s Egg by Clifford Stoll was an excellent account of early hacking.
Watch it old-timer...Next thing you will bet talking about is Xmodem...heh.