Ashley Chadbourne McKinley | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1896-06-23)June 23, 1896 |
| Died | February 11, 1970(1970-02-11) (aged 73) |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Branch | National Guard United States Army United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1916–1926 1941–1956 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Awards | Distinguished Flying Cross |
Ashley Chadbourne McKinley (June 23, 1896 – February 11, 1970) was an accomplishedAmericanaerial photographer andcolonel in theU.S. Army Air Corps who helped pioneer aviation at subzero temperatures. He accompaniedRichard E. Byrd as an aerial photographer on his expedition to theSouth Pole.[1]
McKinley joined Battery A of theMissouri National Guard on June 21, 1916, and served on the Mexican Border until December 21 of the same year. Following the United States' entry into theFirst World War, he enlisted in theUnited States Army Signal Corps on August 7, 1917, and became adirigible pilot. He was commissioned as a 1st lieutenant in the Officer's Reserve Corps on December 7, 1917, to date from November 27. He was placed on active duty on December 16, 1917.
DuringWorld War I, he commanded a balloon observation company. He later taughtaerial photography andsurveying. He was promoted to the rank ofcaptain on November 20, 1918, shortly after the armistice.[1]
Due to the post war draw down, McKinley's appointment as captain was vacated and he was made a 2nd lieutenant in the Army Air Service on September 21, 1920 (to rank from July 1, 1920). He was promoted to 1st lieutenant on April 12, 1921.[2]
On April 3, 1926, McKinley resigned from the Army to begin an aerial surveying and photography service. In 1928–1929, he was a photographer for theByrd Antarctic Expedition. He was one of four men (along withRichard Byrd,Bernt Balchen andHarold June) aboard the first aircraft to fly over the South Pole on November 29, 1929.[1] He was decorated with theDistinguished Flying Cross by Secretary of WarPatrick J. Hurley on July 9, 1930.[3]
In 1941, as the United States prepared to enter the Second World War, McKinley rejoined theArmy Air Corps as a major. He was in charge of the cold-weather operations of theArmy Air Force atLadd Field inFairbanks, Alaska. McKinley was the first person to suggest that U.S. aircraft be constructed to operate in subzero temperatures and that the Air Force should build a facility to test aircraft in subzero temperatures. He was transferred toEglin Field for the construction of the facility. He had risen to the rank of colonel by the war's end in 1945.
McKinley transferred from the Army to the newly createdUnited States Air Force in 1947. He served in Korea in 1951 during the Korean War with the rank of colonel.
After retiring from the Air Force as a colonel on June 30, 1956, McKinley worked as a civilian consultant toAdmiral Richard Byrd.
In 1959 he became a member of the Florida Society of theSons of the American Revolution.[4]
Colonel McKinley died in Florida and is buried inArlington National Cemetery.[1]
In June 1971, theMcKinley Climatic Laboratory atEglin Air Force Base was named in his honor.[1][5]
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Captain (Air Corps) Ashley C. McKinley, U.S. Army Air Corps (Reserve), for extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight as aerial photographer for the 1928 – 1930 Byrd Antarctic Expedition. Capitan McKinley, in the face of the very gravest danger performed his duties in such a manner as to merit the highest praise. He participated in numerous flights over the South Pole on 28–29 November 1929. His devotion to and the accomplishment of this duty obtained results which brought great credit to himself, the expedition, and the United States Army.
General Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 2 (1931)[6]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
