Donald Wills Douglas Jr. (July 3, 1917 – October 3,
2004) was an American industrialist and sportsman who competed in the
1932 Summer Olympics, the Transpacific Yacht Race, and in equestrian
dressage competitions.
He was the president of the Douglas Aircraft Company, which his father,
Donald Wills Douglas Sr.
founded, from 1957 to 1967, when the company merged with McDonnell
Aircraft Corporation. He was on the board of directors of Douglas
Aircraft from 1953 until the merger, then on the board of McDonnell
Douglas from 1967 to 1989. He was involved in other enterprises,
including the Capistrano Bank in Orange County, California, in early
manufacturing robotics software, and in real estate partnerships. He
received a mechanical engineering degree at Stanford University and
studied aeronautical engineering at the Curtiss-Wright Technical
Institute in Glendale, California.
In 1932 he was a crew member of the American boat Gallant, which won the
silver medal in the 6 metre class in the summer Olympics, held in Los
Angeles, Calif.
In 1952, he and his brother Jim persuaded Ralph Larrabee, the owner of
the 161-foot schooner Goodwill, to enter it in the Transpacific Yacht
Race from Los Angeles to Honolulu. The conversion of the recreational
yacht to a racer included the creation of twin 72-foot aluminum
spinnaker poles at Douglas Aircraft Company. They were so long that Jim
Douglas created pole ends that could be severed by means of explosive
bolts from fighter jet ejector seats to drop the sail in an emergency.
The crew numbered 47, including 30 sailors, a cook and seven stewards.
The Douglas brothers had major roles in crew leadership, and Don served
as the Sailing Master in the 1959 race. The Goodwill was the first to
finish the 1953 race, as well as in 1959.
He appeared on Groucho Marx television program "You Bet Your Life" on
September 29, 1955. Mr. Douglas donated his winnings to the Boy Scouts
of America.
In 1974, he founded the Douglas Museum and Library at the south side of
the Santa Monica Airport. After his discussions with entrepreneur David
G. Price, the museum was moved to the north side of the airport, and
reopened as Museum of Flying in 1989.
He served on the board of directors of Hilton Hotels, and was a member
of the Rancheros Visitadores, an equestrian club based in Santa Barbara,
California. |
