Photograph of airmail pilot Harry A. Chandler

c. 1924

Harry A. Chandler began working as a pilot for the Post Office Department on August 16, 1920 and left the service on September 2, 1927 when the route he was flying was turned over to a private company. During his seven years of airmail service Chandler teamed with fellow pilot Shirley Short to establish a nighttime flying record. On January 28, 1926, they worked to fly the mail from Chicago, Illinois to New York City, New York in 5 hours and 24 minutes, demolishing the existing record of 7 hours, 30 minutes. Chandler flew the second leg of the trip, carrying the mail from Cleveland, Ohio into New York. Chandler survived his years as an airmail pilot but died shortly after on September 18, 1927 while flying passengers on a sight-seeing trip out of Hadley Field, New Brunswick, New Jersey. Seven aboard, including Chandler, were killed and five more were injured in the crash.