Airport 3 letter code question

Sat Feb 21, 2009 12:13 pm

I am trying to help a guy find out about his grandfathers WWII service. He flew in B-24's, then B-29's after rotating home from ETO. I'm told some of his records show him flying from an airfield or airport code DCH ... This code does not show up on any of the new airport code search sites. Anybody have an idea of where DCH was during WWII ?

Sat Feb 21, 2009 6:44 pm

Perhaps if you gave a little more information we (WIX) could help out.

Name, Bomb Group, A/C serial number, etc., etc., etc..

Did they even use 3 letter airport codes back then?

Regards,
Mike

Sat Feb 21, 2009 9:03 pm

Yes, they did use some three-letter designators during WWII. Some two-letters as well. I have a May 1945 issue of the AAF Radio Facility Chart that may shed some light on DCH, Shaef. It will take me a bit to find the designator, but I'll try to have it by tomorrow night.

Scott

Sun Feb 22, 2009 12:30 am

SHAEF1944,

As so often happens when researching, I hit a bit of a dead end. My Radio Facility Chart does not list a DCH. I show DCB--Childress AAF Texas, DCD--Scott Field Illinois, DCP--Peterson Field Colorado, and DCS--Lockbourne AAF Ohio.

Scott

Sun Feb 22, 2009 3:11 am

Scott, thanks much. I am going to have the guy scan and email me the documents/forms with this on it. If it was hand written, its very possible that he is mis-reading DCH for the DCP, or even more likely the DCB.

Thanks again !

Sun Feb 22, 2009 10:45 am

It's a very good possibility that the code was DCP if he was flying the B-29 at the time. Peterson Field was Headquarters, Second Air Force. All B-29 Phase training was controlled from Peterson. I'm not sure if any B-29 activity happened at Childress, but I will dig into it.

It is possible that my facility chart doesn't list DCH because it had been closed, inactivated, or was re-designated.

Scott