The Documentary

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• The Documentary Team

April, 2006

Local DCB in Wide National Release

The documentary film, Dayton Codebreakers began airing on public television stations throughout the country April 2, 2006. The film tells the story of Joseph Desch, NCR engineer, and a top secret codebreaking operations in Dayton during WWII. It was presented to the recent American Public Television marketplace and a remarkable 101 Licensees across the country signed up to broadcast it. This represents over 80% of US households and includes markets from New York to LA, Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Seattle. Also in the group are 14 statewide networks including Kentucky, North Carolina, Connecticut, Mississippi, and Georgia.

“This is a clear and resounding affirmation that the story is of interest far outside of Dayton and Ohio,” said Aileen LeBlanc a Yellow Springs resident who directed the film. She co-produced it along with Deborah Anderson of Kettering, the daughter of the late Joseph Desch.

Anderson adds “Because of his oath of secrecy, my father could not speak of his work. I think he’d be pleased with the way we tell the story, honestly yet respectfully. And he’d be fascinated by people’s interest and the way the story resonates today.”

Joseph Desch was an engineer at NCR in 1942, a pioneer in electronics. The Navy needed his expertise to design codebreaking machines which were used against the German Enigma machine. This top secret operation remained classified for more than fifty years. The film Local DCB tells this virtually unknown piece of history.

ThinkTV/WPTD of Dayton is the presenting station for American Public Television and has worked with LeBlanc and Anderson since they began making the film in 2002. Jim Weiner, Program manager for think TV remarks “Just when you think all the World War II stories have been mined, this gem emerges. And it came to light because a daughter played detective in hunting down the top secret answer to what her father did during the war.”

The all local crew includes :

Mike King, Director of Photography

Music Composition and Performance by Sandy and Michael Bashaw

Audio, Tom Mayor and John Mays

Archival Footage, Brian Springer

Editorial Consultant, Jim Klein

* Due to problems getting broadcast times, we’ve stopped updating our list of specific stations and dates.

Please consult local listings or call your station to ask for broadcast times. Thanks.

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