DH Byrd, otherwise known as "Dry Hole Byrd" was one of the Texas oil men primarily concerned with retaining the oil depletion allowance that helped produce their massive profits. Others in the group included Clint Murchison and HL Hunt and political king maker, Lyndon Baines Johnson.

In the thirties he developed interest in aviation and the Texas governor appointed him to the Texas Civil Aeronautics Commission. He followed up on this interest as one of the founders of the Civil Air Patrol. Among the post war members were David Ferrie and Lee Oswald.

As the oil business prospered he began acquiring real estate, including the building that came to be known as the Texas School Book Depository and the oil company became Temco which became part of one of the first conglomerates – Ling Temco Vaught.  Shortly after Lyndon Johnson assumed the presidency and the Vietnam war began in earnest, LTV received profitable contracts to supply the military with aircraft and other materials.

He was the cousin of Antarctic explorer Richard Byrd, and was pursuing an adventure of his own on an African safari during the events of November 22, 1963.  However after the investigations were completed, Byrd had the frame from the sixth floor window of the book depository removed and hung it on a wall in his home as if it were a trophy.