MAJOR EDWARD V. "EDDIE" RICKENBACKER - TYPED LETTER SIGNED 07/11/1929 - HFSID 101301

RICKENBACKER, THE NEW VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES FOR FOKKER AIRCRAFT, WRITES TO HIS LIFELONG FRIEND, CHARLES EDISON, THE SON OF INVENTOR THOMAS A. EDISON, REGARDING MUSIC FOR A PRESENTATION AND RECORDING BY EDISON'S COMPANY
 
EDDIE RICKENBACKER. TLS: "E.V. Rickenbacker" as Vice President of Fokker Aircraft Corporation of America, 1p, 8x10¾. New York City, 1929 July 11. On company letterhead to Mr. Charles Edison, Laboratory of Thomas A. Edison, Orange, New Jersey. Begins: "My dear Sir". In full: "Unfortunately I have been absent from the city for several weeks, which has caused the delay in replying to yours of May 23rd. It is with regret that I note my favorite musical number is nost (sic) listed, It being First-Andantino by Lemare. My second choice is 'Midnight Bells' by Kreisler for the violin. In addition to these might suggest the following:- Caprice Viennois - Kreisler, Rigoletto - Caro Nome (Verdi) Songs of the Volga Boatmen (Russian Folk Song) Trees - Kilmer-Rasbach). Thanking you for your courtesy, and would appreciate your advising the date arranged for this broadcasting, I remain Sincerely". CHARLES EDISON (1890-1969), the son of inventor THOMAS ALVA EDISON, was the Chairman of Edison Industries. Charles, who later served as Assistant Secretary/Acting Secretary of the U.S. Navy (1937-1940) and Governor of New Jersey (1941-1944), shared a love of music with his lifelong friend Rickenbacker, who, just 10 days before this correspondence, had become Vice President of Sales for the Fokker Aircraft Corporation. In that position, Rickenbacker, the celebrated former Commander of the famed 94th "Hat-in-the-Ring" Squadron sold several of Fokker's F-10 airplanes to the Army Air Service, Pan American Airways and Western Air Express. He would remain with the company until becoming Vice President of American Airways in 1932. At the time of this correspondence, Edison's company was marketing its phonographs - said to be Thomas' favorite invention - by staging live musical performances followed by "re-creations" on an Edison phonograph. A number of notables of the day were contacted for their suggestions for music to be included in these performances and recordings. Captain EDWARD VERNON "EDDIE" RICKENBACKER (1890-1973) was America's greatest flying Ace during WWI, courageously battling the German Red Baron's Flying Circus and shooting down 26 enemy aircraft. After the War, the former automobile racer developed his own manufacturing firm, the Rickenbacker Motor Company (1922-1927), and went on to manage and later own the Indianapolis Speedway and then Eastern Airlines. In 1941, Rickenbacker survived a commercial airline crash, and he amazingly cheated death again a year later. Acting as Special Consultant to Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson during WWII, he was aboard a B-17-D "Flying Fortress" that crashed in the Pacific Ocean. The seven survivors of the eight-man crew floated in two small lifeboats in shark-infested waters from October 21 until their rescue on November 13, 1942. Rickenbacker wrote of the ordeal in one of his books, Seven Came Through(1943). Lightly creased with folds, not at signature. Slightly shaded at upper margin, which has light paper clip impression. Fine condition. Framed in the Gallery of History style: 32x22½.