 Ducommun became a more prominent distributor during World War II, inventorying large quantities of stainless steel, carbon steel, and alloys, mostly to support the production of bomber and fighter aircraft that were used in both the European and Pacific theaters.Following the war, the Company joined its customers in the aircraft industry's transition to making long-distance passenger aircraft such as the Lockheed Constellation and, just as importantly, their commitment to the Space Age.Under the leadership of Charles Emil Ducommun (the grandson of Charles Louis Ducommun, and son of Charles Albert), the Company went public in 1949 having become the leading metal materials distributor in the West, and Alcoa's largest distributor nationwide.