Captain David Chambers

Born on July 6, 1920 in Memphis, TN, David Chambers’ childhood dream was tobecome a pilot. As a teenager, his aunt Connie helped him pursue this dream by loaning him money for his first flight lessons. He repaid her by working 2 jobs after school – delivering blocks of ice and working in a Goodyear store.

After high school, he initially attended Memphis State University, while working as a crop duster. With the onset of World War II, he soon enlisted in the Army Air Corps where he was quickly made a flight instructor in Clarksdale, MS. While there, he met, fell in love and married Elizabeth (Lillibet) Metts. They married in 1943 and began a loving marriage and an extraordinary life together that lasted until her death in 2007. 

In 1944, Chambers began his career with American Airlines, culminating as the Chief Pilot of Flight Operations in Nashville. He retired in 1980, at age 60, after 36 years of service. He was passionate about flying and flew everything from single-engine aircraft to military jets and Boeing 747s.

Over the course of his career, Captain Chambers was involved in many notable and memorable events. Among his highest honors was when he was asked to organize and fly the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from Memphis to Atlanta for burial. He also organized the search to recover a Ford Tri-Motor airplane which had crashed in Mexico. The aircraft was located, restored, and now resides in the Smithsonian Air and Space

Museum in Washington, DC. Following his retirement, he also worked with NASA to launch the first space shuttle in 1981.

In 1968, Captain Chambers was tapped by Nashville Mayor Beverly Briley to plan, organize and execute an airshow at Nashville Berry Field airport featuring the Blue Angels. This event would become known as Tennessee Aviation Days (TAD) and would later move to Smyrna Airport (former Sewart AFB). The TAD airshow would continue for more than 30 years under the direction of Captain Chambers and those he

organized to pull together the very large event. His work with TAD exposed many Tennesseans to aviation. 

For his exemplary service and contributions to Aviation in Tennessee, our Nation and the World, Captain David Chambers is enshrined in the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame this 27th day of September, 2025.