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October 4, 1985

Ms. Bonnie Bender
355 24th Street
Avalon, N.J. 08202

Dear Ms. Bender:

I recently received your name from my colleagues at the Smithsonian as someone who might be an asset to my current research. I am researching and writing Volume IV of the U.S. Women in Aviation series published by the Smithsonian Institution Press. Specifically, my book covers the years 1940 to the present. The word "aviation" is construed in the broadest sense to include not only pilots but also engineers, maintenance personnel, government officials, and others involved in the industry.

Jane Beckwith of Family Communications mentioned that you helped design the FYV1 Corsair. She also said that there were as many as 33 other women who were trained as aeronautical engineers with your company. Obviously, I would be most eager to talk with you about these and later experiences. To whet you appetite, I have enclosed copies of an informal survey I have been conducting, along with a working outline of my book. If your travels bring you to Washington, I would like to meet with you. Otherwise, if you are interested, we could schedule a telephone interview.

Please feel free to share this information with anyone who might be interested in this project. I thank you for your interest and look forward to hearing from you. My telephone number is 202-357-2515.

Sincerely yours,

Deborah G. Douglas
Aeronautics

DGD/eef

[[handwritten note to side]] Chance Vought
Link Vought
[[/handwritten note]]