Major Reed McKinley Chambers, An Airman's Story
Major Reed McKinley Chambers, An Airman's Story
Major Reed McKinley Chambers was born on August 18, 1894, in Onaga, Kansas. As a young man, he left home and enlisted in the Tennessee National Guard, beginning a military career that would place him at the forefront of America’s earliest air combat.
He served during the Mexican Expedition and later transferred to the U.S. Army Signal Corps, the precursor to today’s United States Air Force. When the United States entered World War I, Chambers was assigned to the 94th Aero Squadron, one of the most famous pursuit squadrons of the war.
Flying combat missions over the Western Front, Major Chambers was credited with seven aerial victories, earning recognition as a World War I flying ace. At a time when aviation itself was still experimental and fragile, air combat demanded both aggression and technical mastery. Chambers proved he had both.
But his impact did not end with the war.
After returning home, Chambers partnered with fellow aviation legend Eddie Rickenbacker to launch Florida Airways. The venture showed promise, but disaster struck when a hurricane destroyed much of the fleet. In the 1920s, aircraft insurance did not exist in any meaningful form, and without a financial safety net, the company collapsed.
Rather than retreat from aviation, Chambers moved to solve the very problem that had bankrupted him.
Together with David Beebe, he co-founded the United States Aircraft Insurance Group (USAIG), effectively creating the modern aircraft insurance industry. His work helped stabilize the rapidly expanding aviation sector and provided essential protection for commercial and private aviation enterprises. In many ways, Chambers helped build the infrastructure that allowed aviation to grow safely and sustainably in the decades that followed.
Major Reed McKinley Chambers died on January 16, 1972, in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
He is remembered not only as a World War I flying ace, but as a pioneer whose postwar vision strengthened the very industry he once risked his life to defend.
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About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life
She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.
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