DynCorp traces its origins from two companies formed in 1946: California Eastern Airways (CEA), an air freight business, and Land-Air Inc., an aircraft maintenance company. California Eastern Airways was founded by a small group of returning World War II pilots who wanted to break into the air cargo business. They were one of the first firms to ship cargo by air, and within a year, the firm was serving both coasts. California Eastern Airways diversified into multiple government aviation and managerial jobs, airlifted supplies for the Korean War, and was responsible for the White Sands Missile Range (a client that DynCorp has retained for 50 years).