Description
The Willis M. Hawkins Papers, 1920-2009 (80 boxes) document the successful aerospace engineering career of Hawkins at Lockheed,
the relationships between industry, military, and government, and the development of airplanes, missile systems, and space
vehicles during the second half of the 20th century.
Background
Willis Moore Hawkins (1913-2004) was born in Kansas City, Missouri, on 1 December
1913. As the only child of Willis Moore Hawkins, Sr. and Elizabeth Daniels, who
divorced shortly after his birth, Willis was raised by his mother. He was one of
five students in the first graduating class of Leelanau School, an experimental high
school in Glen Harbor, Michigan, that emphasized the outdoors and science. After
earning his Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the University of
Michigan in 1937, he began a career that would span over 60 years at Lockheed
Aircraft Company, starting as a junior detail engineering draftsman in Burbank,
California.
Restrictions
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to
quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such
activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is
one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
Availability
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services
Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.