Daniel Field Airport

Facilities and aircraft				Throughout the war, Delta Air Lines served the
Daniel Field covers an area of 146 acres (59 ha)				airport throughout the war with commercial airline
at an elevation of 423 feet (129 m) above mean				service. With the closure of the Air Force's
sea level. It has two asphalt paved runways: 5/23				facilities, Daniel Field continued as Augusta's
is 4,002 by 100 feet (1,220 x 30 m); 11/29 is				municipal airport. Eastern Air Lines resumed
3,738 by 100 feet (1,139 x 30 m). The remnants				service to Augusta in 1948, later joined by
of a third runway oriented north-south are clearly				Piedmont Airlines. On July 1, 1950, the airlines
visible but have been closed and are marked with				shifted their operations to Bush Field and Daniel
yellow Xs or converted to taxiway use.				became a general aviation airport.
Notably, Daniel Field is some 279 feet (85 m)				In 1955, the City moved the two hangars to the
higher in elevation than the commercial Augusta				eastern side of the airfield. A shopping center was
airport, Augusta Regional Airport, as Daniel Field				then built on the former ramp area. Today, the
lies above the Piedmont Coastal Plain fall line which				only evidence of the Air Force's presence are
descends steeply just south of Daniel Field.				two hangars. The former cantonment area is now
Augusta Regional Airport lies along the broad				a housing development.
Savannah River floodplain.				Incidents
Daniel Field has two large, fully enclosed hangers				Daniel Field is located 6.9 nautical miles (12.8 km)
and a smaller open shelter. Augusta Aviation is the				northwest of Augusta commercial airport,
fixed base operator (FBO) on the field, offering				Augusta Regional Airport. On the night of
fuel, parking, hangers, flight instruction, charters,				February 3, 1986, a Boeing 737-201/Advanced
and aircraft repair.				airliner operated by Piedmont Airlines landed on a
For the 12-month period ending April 13, 2006, the				3,877 feet (1,182 m) long Daniel Field runway
airport had 44,500 aircraft operations, an average				instead of much longer runway at Augusta
of 121 per day: 99% general aviation and 1% air				Regional Airport as intended. After skidding to a
taxi. At that time there were 78 aircraft based at				stop still on the runway, the crew and all 106
this airport: 79% single-engine, 18% multi-engine,				passengers were unharmed. Augusta Chronicle
1% jet and 1% helicopter.				photos at the time showed passengers
Airlines				disembarking the aircraft at Daniel Field down a
Daniel Field does not have regularly scheduled Part				Piedmont truck-mounted air stair. An Augusta
121 Air Carrier service. Augusta Aviation, an				Chronicle photo appears to identify the aircraft
on-field FBO, offers charter services as do other				involved as N772N "Peninsula Pacemaker". Local
local and regional providers.				lore often recounts the flight as being operated
History				by Delta Air Lines and includes stories of the
Origins				interior being stripped and a special test flight
The origins of Daniel Field Airport begin in 1924,				crew being used to fly the aircraft out, though
when the City of Agusta leased 302 acres for an				contemporary accounts recorded otherwise.
airport and a municipal golf course. About 35,000				See also
people attended the airport's dedication on 29				Georgia World War II Army Airfields
October 1927. Against the Mayor's wishes, the				Air Technical Service Command
City Council named the airport Daniel Field. for				References
Mayor Raleigh Daniel, who was a major proponent
of the city leasing the land in the early 1920s.				Shettle, M. L. (2005), Georgia's Army Airfields of
On 1 December 1931, Eastern Air Transport				World War II. ISBN: 0-9643388-3-1
began passenger service, but discontinued it five				Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of
months later due to unprotitability. Eastern				World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air
resumed service in November 1932 after				Force History. ISBN 0892010924.
obtaining a mail contract. The same year, Delta				Mauer, Mauer (1969), Combat Squadrons of the
Air Lines began serving Atlanta and Charleston,				Air Force, World War II, Air Force Historical
S.C. from Augusta. In 1938, the Works Progress				Studies Office, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. ISBN
Administration began a project that added paved				0892010975
runways, drainage and other improvements.				^ a b c d FAA Airport Master Record for
World War II				DNL (Form 5010 PDF), effective 2008-07-31.
Oblique airphoto of Daniel Field, about 1944,				^ a b About Daniel Field at City of Augusta web
looking northwest				site.
Alarmed by the fall of France in 1940, Congress				^ "A landing place in time - Daniel Field celebrates
funded an increase in the strength of the United				rich history". Augusta Chronicle. 1997-10-15.
States Army Air Corps from 29 to 54 combat				External links
groups and increased pilot training to 7,000 per				Daniel Field at City of Augusta web site
year. The quickest way for the Air Corps to				Daniel Field at Georgia DOT Aviation web site
obtain additional bases was to utilize existing civil				Augusta Aviation, the fixed base operator (FBO)
airports. On 21 September 1940, the Air Corps				FAA Terminal Procedures for DNL, effective 11
announced a $1.5 million project to build facilities at				Feb 2010
Daniel Field to support 100 to 110 pursuit aircraft				Resources for this airport:
and 2000 men. Because of technicalities in the land				AirNav airport information for KDNL
transfer, construction did not begin until March				ASN accident history for DNL
1941. Once begun, a large construction program				FlightAware airport information and live flight
was needed to turn the civil airport into a military				tracker
airfield. Construction involved runways and airplane				NOAA/NWS latest weather observations
hangars, with three concrete runways, several				SkyVector aeronautical chart for KDNLv d e
taxiways and a large parking apron and a control				Augusta, Georgia
tower. Several large hangars were also				Main article
constructed. Buildings were ultimately utilitarian and				Augusta, Georgia
quickly assembled. Most base buildings, not meant				History
for long-term use, were constructed of				History of Augusta \| List of mayors \| Notable past
temporary or semi-permanent materials. Although				present residents
some hangars had steel frames and the				Arts and culture
occasional brick or tile brick building could be seen,				Arts and culture in Augusta \| Artists' Row
most support buildings sat on concrete				Colleges and universities
foundations but were of frame construction clad				Augusta State \| Augusta Tech \| Georgia Military \|
in little more than plywood and tarpaper				Medical College of Georgia \| Paine \| Savannah River
Although the Army initially planned on using Daniel				K-12 education
for fighter aircraft, it was utilized instead mostly				Richmond County School System
by transport and observation squadrons. This was				Private schools: Aquinas \| Episcopal Day \| Saint
due to the fact that Daniel's longest runway was				Mary on the Hill \| Westminster
a relatively short 4,200 ft. The geographical				Hospitals
restrictions of ravines to the west and the city of				Doctors Hospital \| Medical College of Georgia \|
Augusta to the east made the extension of the				Trinity Hospital \| University Hospital \| Norwood VA
runways impractical.				Medical Ctr.
Initially assigned to the Army Air Corps Southeast				Media
Air District, the first units at Daniel Army Airfield				Media in Augusta, Georgia
the 14th and 15th Transport Squadrons of the				Image at right: The Haunted Pillar, Broad Street
61st Transport Group arrived on 12 July 1941				See also: Category:Augusta, Georgiav d e
from Kelly Field, near San Antonio, Texas. The				USAAF Third Air Force in World War II
61st's group headquarters was formed at				Airfields
Olmsted Field, near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The				Alabama Arkansas Florida Georgia
squadrons flew C-47 Skytrains, as well as Douglas				Louisiana Mississippi North Carolina South
C-39s, which was the Air Corp's version of the				Carolina Tennessee
Douglas DC-2. After organizational training and				Units
flying a few paratroop operations, the 61st and its				Commands
squadrons were sent to Lubbock Field in Texas.				II Air Support Command III Air Support
During the week of 20 October, Daniel Field				Command III Bomber Command III Fighter
hosted the 40th Pursuit Squadron which came to				Command III Reconnaissance Command III
Daniel Field from Selfridge Field, Michigan which				Tactical Air Command
took part in III Interceptor Command exercises,				Divisions
flying P-39 Aircobras				III Tactical Air Division
With the United States at war in 1942, activity at				Wings
the airfield expanded dramatically. In early				8th Fighter Wing 9th Fighter Wing 40th
February. Five transport squadrons of the Air				Bombardment Wing
Force Combat Command 89th Transport Group,				Groups
the 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th, and 28th were				Air Commando
activated at Daniel AAF. These squadrons were				2d Air Commando 3d Air Commando
equipped with C-47s and Douglas DC-3s pressed				Bombardment
into military service from the airlines. The 89th				3d Bombardment 12th Bombardment 17th
stay at Daniel was a short one. Only five weeks				Bombardment 21st Bombardment 29th
later the group moved on to Air Technical Service				Bombardment 30th Bombardment Group 38th
Command depot at Harding AAF, near Baton				Bombardment 44th Bombardment 46th
Rouge, Louisiana.				Bombardment 47th Bombardment 85th
Also during February, three observation				Bombardment 88th Bombardment 90th
squadrons, the 16th, 111th, 122nd, and 154th,				Bombardment 91st Bombardment 92d
arrived from various other bases and forming the				Bombardment 93d Bombardment 94th
Third Air Froce 68th Observation Group. Pilots				Bombardment 95th Bombardment 97th
trained on Douglas O-43A, Vultee/Stinson O-49				Bombardment 98th Bombardment 99th
L-1 Vigilant and Douglas A-20B Havoc aircraft				Bombardment 100th Bombardment 309th
performing antisubmarine patrols along the South				Bombardment 310th Bombardment 312th
Carolina and Georgia coast.				Bombardment 319th Bombardment 320th
On 2 March 1942, the III Air Support Command				Bombardment 321st Bombardment 322d
313th Transport Group TG and the 29th				Bombardment 323d Bombardment 335th
Transport Squadron were activated at Daniel Field				Bombardment 336th Bombardment 340th
with C-47s. In May, the first tenants of Daniel, the				Bombardment 344th Bombardment 345th
14th and 15th Transport Squadrons were				Bombardment 386th Bombardment 387th
reassigned to Pope Field, North Carolina to support				Bombardment 391st Bombardment 394th
the 82d Airborne Division at Fort Bragg. On June				Bombardment 396th Bombardment 397th
15, the 313th Transport Group, activated three				Bombardment 409th Bombardment 410th
additional squadrons, the 47th, 48th, and 49th, out				Bombardment 411th Bombardment 416th
of the 29th TS. One week later, the 313th and its				Bombardment 417th Bombardment 418th
squadrons moved to Bowman Field, near Louisville,				Bombardment 451st Bombardment 454th
Kentucky to support the 101st Airborne at Fort				Bombardment 463d Bombardment 483d
Campbell. During July the observation squadrons all				Bombardment 488th Bombardment
transferred to Smith Reynolds Airport, near				Fighter
Winston-Salem, North Carolina for antisubmarine				20th Fighter 31st Fighter 49th Fighter 50th
duty.				Fighter 53d Fighter 54th Fighter 56th
In 1942, newly-built Army Airfields were becoming				Fighter 59th Fighter 79th Fighter 80th
available in the southeast and the Air Force no				Fighter 81st Fighter 84th Fighter 85th
longer had the need for Daniel Field and its short				Fighter 311th Fighter 332d Fighter 337th
runways. No other operational units were				Fighter 338th Fighter 339th Fighter 361st
stationed at Daniel after August 1942. In February				Fighter 369th Fighter 372d Fighter 404th
1943, Daniel was reassigned to the Air Technical				Fighter 405th Fighter 408th Fighter 414th
Service Command, being under the control of the				Fighter 506th Fighter
Warner-Robins Air Depot Control Area. The				Fighter-Bomber
facilities became a repair and replacement depot				27th Fighter-Bomber 48th Fighter-Bomber
for Third Air Force aircraft. Most of the military				86th Fighter-Bomber 406th Fighter-Bomber
flying at Daniel was by transient aircraft				407th Fighter-Bomber
undergoing 3d and 4th echelon heavy				Reconnaissance
maintenance work.				2d Reconnaissance 9th Reconnaissance 10th
Daniel also activated and trained 32 chemical				Reconnaissance 26th Reconnaissance 65th
warfare companies. Chemical companies were				Reconnaissance 67th Reconnaissance 68th
equipped and taught to use smoke pots, tear gas,				Reconnaissance 69th Reconnaissance 70th
chemical trailers, trucks, blasting caps, and how to				Reconnaissance 75th Reconnaissance 77th
fill aircraft spray tanks. During the last part of the				Reconnaissance 423d Reconnaissance 424th
war, Daniel was used to prepare vehicles for use				Reconnaissance 426th Reconnaissance
in the planned Invasion of Japan. In addition, the				United States Army Air Forces
field had a branch prisoner of war camp with				First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth
about 1200 POWs working on the field and in the				Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh
nearby forests.				Twelfth Thirteenth Fourteenth Fifteenth
By war's end, the Army's air operations at Daniel				Twentieth
were discontinued, with the airfield being returned				Categories: 1924 establishments \| Airports in
to full civil control on 31 October 1945.				Georgia (U.S.
Postwar use

TifttonInfo

Daniel Field Airport