Letter from S. Dillon Ripley to Herbert Friedmann

Summary

S. Dillon Ripley writes to Herbert Friedmann, Curator at the United States National Museum, Department of Biology, Division of Birds, about the bird collecting he has done while serving during World War II with the Office of Strategic Command in Ceylon, now Sri Lanka. He also writes about people he has met and others who are also collectors.

Subject

• Friedmann, Herbert 1900-1987
• United States National Museum Dept. of Biology Division of Birds
• United States National Museum
• Office of Strategic Services

Category

Historic Images of the Smithsonian

Notes

Future Secretary S. Dillon Ripley, formerly assistant curator in the Division of Birds, U.S. National Museum, volunteered for service during World War II with the Office of Strategic Services, predecessor to the Central Intelligence Agency. Stationed in Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, he continued his ornithological passion with bird watching in his free time. Having traveled widely in the South Pacific before the war, he knew the geography, natural history and languages of the region.

Contained within

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 305, Box 899, Folder: 170221

Contact information

Institutional History Division, Smithsonian Archives, 600 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20024-2520, SIHistory@si.edu

Date

November 26, 1944

Restrictions & Rights

No restrictions

Topic

• WW II
• Animals
• Letters
• Collectors and collecting
• Smithsonian Institution
• Personnel management
• Birds
• Employees
• Museums
• Field work
• World War, 1939-1945
• Museum curators
• Ornithologists
• Ornithology
• Ornithology--Field work
• Smithsonian Institution--Employees

Place

• Sri Lanka
• Washington (D.C.)

Form/Genre

• Document
• Paper

ID Number

SIA2010-0564

Physical description

Number of Images: 1; Color: Black and white; Size: 7.84 w x 10.23 h; Type of Image: Document; Medium: Paper

Full Record

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