Amon Carter Field or Greater Southwest Intl?

[Hello Newman]

Last year on this board the subject of the old Ft.
Worth Airport was discussed. Lots of good info and pictures were contributed, but I still have one question: was the airport originally named Amon Carter Field and later changed to Greater Southwest? Or was it known as Greater Southwest from the beginning and Amon Carter just an
unofficial nickname? Would appreciate any feedback!!!!!

 

[LoneStarMike]

This is from page 97 of a book by Darwin Payne and Kathy Fitzpatrick called From Prairie to Planes How Dallas and Fort Worth Overcame Politics and Personalities to Build One of the World's Biggest and Busiest Airports:

"In November 1962, figuring that the name of Amon Carter Field had been anathema to Dallas and an obstacle to cooperation beween the two cities, J. Lee Johnson III recommended and the Fort Worth City Council agreed to rename it and to include Dallas in the title. Greater Fort Worth - Amon Carter Field thus became "Greater Southwest Internations Airport - Dallas-Fort Worth Airfield." The change was logical, Johnson said, "because of the board's view that the airport's ultimate destiny is to be the principal regional intercontinental airport for the Southwest part of the United States." If the move was intended to gain Dallas' favor, it backfired. Dallas City Council's response was to instruct its city attorney, Henry Kucera, to determine whether the use of "Dallas" in the title was legal. "This was pure presumption on their part, Mayor Earle Cabell said. "It's unethical to use the name of Dallas on any shanty in Fort Worth."

Earlier, when the name change was being considered, the city's aviation board had requested recommendations from citizens. The most popular name submitted had been Dalworth International Jet Air Terminal. Other suggestions had included Carter-Thornton International Airport and Truce Field.

Changing the code designation for the airport from ACF to DFW (note: I think the book is wrong, I think the code was changed to GSW) also caused protests. Braniff complained to the FAA's Halaby that the change would cost the airlines $250,000. Moreover, the company sai, the FAA's "acquiescence" in the request might indicate to some observers " a seriously predjudicial and ethically unsupportable prejudgement" of the upcoming airport hearings."

Anyway, hope this answers your question.

LoneStarMike

 

[Hello Newman]

Thanx Mike!!! It does answer my questions.

 

[mga707]

Mike is correct, the book is not: The ACF designator was indeed changed to GSW when the airport name was changed in the '60s.

 

[WXGuesser]

Newman (and anybody else for that matter):

If you are looking for photos of the old Amon Carter Field/Greater Southwest Airport, please PM me. My present employment position gives me access to an archive containing numerous photos of that particular facility.

Peace!!!!!!