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Walt Disney Personally Rejected US Navy Project Forms.

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Walt Disney Personally Rejected US Navy Project Forms.
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(WED, 1965) A pair of very rare sheets of original Inter-Office Communication from WED Enterprises relating to a proposed U.S. Navy project. As described in these documents, the U.S. Navy inquired whether WED would be interested in placing a bid for the development of an exoskeleton device which would allow a man to lift 1500 pounds to a height of six feet, and allow him to carry that load for twenty-five feet in ten seconds. WED was considered for this project due in part to their recent advancements with audio-animatronics, showcased in the Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln at the 1964 New York World's Fair. Walt Disney personally rejected involvement in the project and hand-wrote "NO" in large red colored pencil across the green document. The documents were sent by, and CC'd to, Imagineering president Mel Melton, who signed the bottom of both pages. There are also hand-written notes confirming Walt's negative answer by his trusted personal secretary, Tommie Blount. This is an extraordinary document, as one can imagine the cultural ramifications had Walt accepted this military application of audio-animatronic technology. Internal documents from Walt Disney Productions are rare in their own right, but documents such as this that include the handwriting of Walt Disney himself are exceptionally rarer. Both pages measure 11"x8.5" and are in very good condition with minor edge wear.