Collection Summary
Mulligan, Denis J.
Denis J. Mulligan papers
1918-1985
09121
5.42 cubic ft. (7 boxes)
University of Wyoming. American Heritage Center.
English
Contains materials relating to the career of Denis J.
Mulligan, lead investigator of the Hindenburg disaster and former
Director of the Bureau of Air Commerce.
Biography of Denis J. Mulligan
Denis James Mulligan (1900-1983) had a long career in civilian and military aviation.
He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1924, and later received a
law degree from Fordham University in 1930, followed by a JSD Cum Laude from the
Brooklyn Law School of St. Lawrence University. He served as Chief of the
Enforcement Section, Investigator and Legal Advisor of the Bureau of Air Commerce of
the U.S. Department of Commerce in 1934 and was its final Director until 1939. He is
perhaps best known for heading the investigation of the Hindenburg
disaster in 1937. After resigning as Director, he continued to practice law and
served as a consultant on international matters for the Civil Aeronautics Board. He
was a reservist called to active duty in the Air Force during World War II and the
Korean War. In 1947 he was appointed legal advisor for the President's Air Policy
Commission. After the Korean War he began business as an industrial consultant until
his retirement in 1973. He was also active professionally and served on the
International Technical Committee of Aerial Legal Experts (CITEJA) in Berne, Paris,
and Lisbon and was a member of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics.
Scope and Content
The Denis J. Mulligan collection contains professional and personal correspondence
and manuscripts, reports, newspaper clippings, photographs, negatives, and maps. The
materials pertain to various aspects of Mulligan's career, including work at the
Bureau of Air Commerce, Civil Aeronautics Board, and the President's Air Policy
Commission. Also included are articles written by Mulligan and his statements before
Congress. Personal items from his days at the United States Military Academy such as
photographs and negatives, ephemera, and correspondence are present as well.
Access Restrictions
There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the
collection is open to the public.
Copyright Information
The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and
libel laws as they apply.
Related Materials
There is one known other archival collection created by Denis J. Mulligan at the U.S.
Military Academy Library, Special Collections.
Acquisition Information
This material was received from Mrs. Elizabeth Mulligan in August of 1986.
Processing Information
The collection was processed by Kathryn Brooks in April 2011.
Preferred Citation
Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number,
American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
Access Terms
Hindenburg (Airship).
Aircraft accidents -- United
States.
World War, 1939-1945 -- Aerial
operations.
Korean War, 1950-1953 -- Aerial
operations.
Military.
Business, Industry, Labor, and Commerce.
Container List
Series I. Career
Contains various materials pertaining to Mulligan's career including
correspondence, reports, notes, etc.
2
AAF Production Committees on World War II
1950 November 21
4
Aeronautical World News
1939
2
Aeronautics industry misc.
1939
1
"Aircraft Manufacture in Chicago" by Mulligan
1939
3
Appendix D - Other persons & organizations outside of
Chicago
1930-1939
3
Appendix E - Other persons & organizations in
Chicago
1939
2
Aviation - legal
1938-1958
3
Aviation & Aeronautics misc.
1935-1944
4
Aviation Hearing before the Committee on Interstate & Foreign
Commerce - House of Representatives - on H.R. 5234 & H.R. 4652
(feat. statement by Mulligan)
1937 March & April
1
Aviation/Aeronautics misc.
1927-1940
1
"The Big Parade, Second Edition,"
1931
2
Boston-Maine Airways, Inc. - Matter of Portland-New York and
Boston-New York extensions
1940
2
Boston-Maine Airways, Inc.
1940
4
Bound volumes
1918-1956
3
Bound volumes
1928, 1938-1939, undated
2
Brief - Swetland case
1930 January 30
1
Bureau of Air Commerce - memorandum - Aircraft accident near
Atlanta, MO 5/6/35
circa 1936 February
4
Canadian Colonial Airways
1938-1941
4
Civil Aeronautics Authority - Survey tour of European Civil
Aeronautics
1938-1939
2
Civil Aeronautics Authority misc.
1935-1939
1
Civil Aeronautics Authority
1939-1940
1
Civil Aeronautics Board/Authority
1939-1940
4
Comité International Technique D'Experts Juridiques Aériens
(CITEJA) documents
circa 1937
3
Congressional Aviation Policy Board
undated
2
Copy of Contract between Railway Express Agency, Inc. & the
Domestic Air Lines
1939 May 17
2
Correspondence
1929-1976
2
Correspondence - Hindenburg reminiscences
1962-1975
4
Delegation of the U.S.A. Fourth International Conference on
Private Air Law - Brussels, September 1938 - Report of the American
Delegation submitted to the Secretary of State
1939 January 9
2
Denis Mulligan - Legal file No. 2
1935-1936
3
Dept. of Commerce - Bureau of Air Commerce misc.
1933-1938
1
Design Information for Aircraft
1934 October 1
4
Deutsche Luftwacht Ausgabe Luftwissen
1938 November
6
Domestic maps
circa 1930s
4
Enforcement Section Diary
1934
4
Fourth International Conference on Private Air Law - Brussels,
1938
1939
4
General Orders No. 1 Headquarters Kelly Field
1924 January 1
1
General Von Boetticher
undated
1
Government Printing Office aviation research
materials
1931-1939
2
Historia de la Aviacion del Peru
1935
3
Inc tax data f/1979
1934-1940
3
International Technical Committee of Aerial Legal Experts
(CITEJA)
1939
4
IVme Conférence Diplomatique de Droit Privé Aérien Vol. II
Documents
1938 September
4
IVme Conférence Diplomatique de Droit Privé Aérien
1938 September
3
John S. Brookes, Jr. - Personal
1939
1
Latin America research
1933-1938
2
Lee Higginson Corporation Engineering Report Re Northeast
Airlines, Inc.
1940
2
Legal materials - Private file - Mr. Mulligan
1934-1935
7
Map - Air routes of the world
1939
3
Maps
1935-1952
4
M-Pro (correspondence)
1939-1941
1
News clippings
1922-1938
4
News clippings
1922-1970
3
News clippings
1938-1939
1
Nuestro Sistema de Nabegar por los
Aires
1937 September 17
7
Outline map - United States
1935
3
Papers pertaining to the formation of C.A.P.A.
1937, 1942
2
Papers recovered from Hindenburg disaster (VERY
FRAGILE)
1937
1
Pilot's books
1924-1932
2
The President's Air Policy Commission - Digest of Public
Discussions - Part 3
1947
1
The Problem Confronting the Air Express Industry, Parts
II-III
1939
3
Project 2 - Post-Surrender Treatment of German Aircraft
Industry
1945
4
References
1920-1937
1
Releases
1934-1940
1
Safety in Air Hearings - S. Res. 146 - A Resolution to
Investigate Certain Airplane Accidents & Interstate Air
Commerce
1936
3
S-PRO (correspondence)
1939-1940
1
U.S. Department of Commerce Aeronautics Branch - Aeronautics
Bulletins
1931-1934
1
Unidentified reports
undated
Series II. Personal
Contains personal items of Mulligan such as certificates, photos, ephemera,
etc.
1
Army vs. Navy official program (feat. Mulligan)
1923 November 24
4
Assembly (with Mulligan's obituary)
1985 March
1
Ephemera/personal
circa 1926-1951
2
Flag Day Ceremony speech by Mulligan
1953 June 15
3
The Journal of Air Law, featuring "Regulatory Laws
for Intrastate Aeronautics" by Mulligan
1934 October
1
Loose, rolled photos
undated
1
Mona Mulligan negatives
undated
5
Oversize certificates, photos, etc.
circa 1931-1941
2
Personal/biographical
1938-1986
1
Photographs
1918-1927, undated
4
Photographs
1930s
4
Photos - USMA & Fort Dix maneuvers
circa 1921
3
Printed materials featuring Mulligan
1936-1984
2
Roster of students of the Air Corps Primary Flying Schools -
Brooks Field - Class of September 15, 1924
1924
3
U.S. Air Services
1941, 1943, 1948-1949