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BRITISH AIR COMMISSION
1785, Massachusetts Ave.
Washington, D.C.
Telephone - Hobart 9000
January 24, 1942.
Dear Miss Cochran,
The understanding between us, as stated herein, has been arrived at after dis-
cussions or correspondence with representatives of your State Department, General
Arnold of the United States Army Air Corps, General Olds of the United States Ferry
Command and Hon. Robert Hinckley of your Civil Aeronautics Authority, and is the
result of various conversations with you. Please confirm this understanding by
endorsement on the duplicate original hereof in the space provided below for that
purpose.
1.
At our suggestion you have agreed to proceed to organize a group of American
women pilots to join the British Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) under the terms of an
agreement of service, copy of which is attached hereto. Approximately 40 women will
be originally chosen by you for flight tests somewhere in Canada, and those selected
by us after flight test will be transferred to England for their conversion training
and subsequent assignment to pilot pools. It is anticipated that approximately 25
pilots will be initially selected to form the unit, and that if during the first
three months the plan works out well from our standpoint, you will be asked to select
additional pilots to increase such American unit.
2. The American women members of ATA are to be under your command for discipline and
welfare subject to the jurisdiction of 0.0., A.T.A. For unified operations they may
be divided among pilot pools throughout Great Britain, and while a pilot is a member
of any particular pool for all operational purposes, she will be subject to the orders
of the head of that pool. In all matters relating to discipline and promotion as a
unit, your recommendation is to be final subject to your senior officers; that is to
say the officer in charge of all women members of the ATA organization and C.O.,A.T.A.
3.
It has been intimated that you may be requested by the authorities of your Govern--
ment to organize and supervise training centres for American women pilots. This would
synchronize with the general plans for adding to the American women's unit of the ATA
in case such trainees are not needed at the time by your own armed services in any
affiliated or auxiliary way. Therefore, we would be glad to see you follow up this
prospect or program while at the same time organizing and commanding the American
women's unit of the ATA. We realiss that this would require your presence part time
and from time tentime in America, and at your request we will endeavour to arrange
priority for ocean air travel to meet this situation. You are to have the right
to
nominate the person who shall be your Deputy, with the approval of C.O., A.T.A.
4. In the event that any of the American armed services should decide to organize a
women's auxiliary flying unit, we will at your request release you to help organize
or to take charge of such unit.
5. You will undertake to sign the standard form of agreement, but in view of the
requirements of paragraph 3 of this letter it is understood that you agree to offer
your services without remuneration. The contract therefore should include a rider to
this effect and that it may be necessary, as indicated in paragraph 4 above, to termin-
ate such contract before its due expiration.
Yours very truly
Miss Jacqueline Cochran,
(Signed) A.H. Self.
of
435, East 52nd Street,
Director General.
New York City.
British Air Commission.
I confirm the above this
.....
day of
January, 1942.
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"ocrText": "(COPY)\nBRITISH AIR COMMISSION\n1785, Massachusetts Ave.\nWashington, D.C.\nTelephone - Hobart 9000\nJanuary 24, 1942.\nDear Miss Cochran,\nThe understanding between us, as stated herein, has been arrived at after dis-\ncussions or correspondence with representatives of your State Department, General\nArnold of the United States Army Air Corps, General Olds of the United States Ferry\nCommand and Hon. Robert Hinckley of your Civil Aeronautics Authority, and is the\nresult of various conversations with you. Please confirm this understanding by\nendorsement on the duplicate original hereof in the space provided below for that\npurpose.\n1.\nAt our suggestion you have agreed to proceed to organize a group of American\nwomen pilots to join the British Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) under the terms of an\nagreement of service, copy of which is attached hereto. Approximately 40 women will\nbe originally chosen by you for flight tests somewhere in Canada, and those selected\nby us after flight test will be transferred to England for their conversion training\nand subsequent assignment to pilot pools. It is anticipated that approximately 25\npilots will be initially selected to form the unit, and that if during the first\nthree months the plan works out well from our standpoint, you will be asked to select\nadditional pilots to increase such American unit.\n2. The American women members of ATA are to be under your command for discipline and\nwelfare subject to the jurisdiction of 0.0., A.T.A. For unified operations they may\nbe divided among pilot pools throughout Great Britain, and while a pilot is a member\nof any particular pool for all operational purposes, she will be subject to the orders\nof the head of that pool. In all matters relating to discipline and promotion as a\nunit, your recommendation is to be final subject to your senior officers; that is to\nsay the officer in charge of all women members of the ATA organization and C.O.,A.T.A.\n3.\nIt has been intimated that you may be requested by the authorities of your Govern--\nment to organize and supervise training centres for American women pilots. This would\nsynchronize with the general plans for adding to the American women's unit of the ATA\nin case such trainees are not needed at the time by your own armed services in any\naffiliated or auxiliary way. Therefore, we would be glad to see you follow up this\nprospect or program while at the same time organizing and commanding the American\nwomen's unit of the ATA. We realiss that this would require your presence part time\nand from time tentime in America, and at your request we will endeavour to arrange\npriority for ocean air travel to meet this situation. You are to have the right\nto\nnominate the person who shall be your Deputy, with the approval of C.O., A.T.A.\n4. In the event that any of the American armed services should decide to organize a\nwomen's auxiliary flying unit, we will at your request release you to help organize\nor to take charge of such unit.\n5. You will undertake to sign the standard form of agreement, but in view of the\nrequirements of paragraph 3 of this letter it is understood that you agree to offer\nyour services without remuneration. The contract therefore should include a rider to\nthis effect and that it may be necessary, as indicated in paragraph 4 above, to termin-\nate such contract before its due expiration.\nYours very truly\nMiss Jacqueline Cochran,\n(Signed) A.H. Self.\nof\n435, East 52nd Street,\nDirector General.\nNew York City.\nBritish Air Commission.\nI confirm the above this\n.....\nday of\nJanuary, 1942."
}