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This collection consists of original papers documenting Captain Walter Seaborn's World War I service, especially his duties relating to the Army Air Service's evaluation, procurement, and transfer of German aircraft and equipment to the United States after the war. The following types of material are included in the collection: correspondence, memorandums, reports, photographs, passenger lists, resumes, supply receipts, rosters, notes, publications, and military orders. There is also a photocopy of letters, photographs, and documents, bound in a book entitled "The Seaborn Family 1882-1972." This book contains information about Captain Seaborn and his family.
Captain Walter J. Seaborn (1892-19??) attended high school and the Western Military Academy in Illinois. He attended several different business schools before graduating from the University of California with a law degree in 1912. In 1917, after having held a variety of jobs and traveling, Seaborn joined the Army Air Service and was assigned to Kelly Field. He was promoted to Commanding Officer of the 25th Aero Squadron and ordered overseas, to England and then to France. In France, Seaborn worked as the Liaison Officer between the Technical Section SOS and the Zone of Advance. In 1918, Seaborn was promoted to captain and after the war he transferred to the 3rd Army where his duty was to secure types of all available German aircraft for shipment to the United States for further evaluation.
NASM.2003.0053
Seaborn, Walter J. Captain, 1892-
bulk 1917-1919
Helen Seaborn Hopson, Gift, 2003
0.63 Cubic feet ((1 legal document box, 1 slim letter document box))
National Air and Space Museum Archives
This collection consists of original papers documenting Captain Walter Seaborn's World War I service, especially his duties relating to the Army Air Service's evaluation, procurement, and transfer of German aircraft and equipment to the United States after the war. The following types of material are included in the collection: correspondence, memorandums, reports, photographs, passenger lists, resumes, supply receipts, rosters, notes, publications, and military orders.
The Captain Walter J. Seaborn World War I Collection is arranged by content type.
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
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Captain Walter J. Seaborn World War I Collection, Accession 2003-0053, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
World War, 1914-1918
Airplanes -- Germany
Aeronautics
Enemy property
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Correspondence
Memorandums
Reports
Photographs
Resumes
Receipts
Rosters