Chandler Field - Alexandria Municipal Airport

The Alexandria Airport, renamed Chandler Field in 1978, was originally a grass strip airport known in the 1920s as Raiter's Pasture.

The airport was paved and improved by the United States Government during World War II and was used in the 1940s by the Army Air Force and the Air Force Ferry Command to refuel military aircraft en route from aircraft factories in central United States to Alaska. Many of these warplanes went on to the Soviet Union during the lend-lease war equipment program.

After the planes were serviced here, the fighters and bombers would fly to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and then on to what is now Ft. Wainwright near Fairbanks, Alaska, where the American pilots would turn the planes over to the waiting Russian pilots.

In 1950, the United States Government returned the airport to the City of Alexandria.

A Federal Service Station was located on the field from the 1940s until 1990.

In 1962, Harold and Edith Chandler responded to a call for an airport manager position at this airport. The Chandlers began the task of establishing a full-service airport facility in west central Minnesota. Services included aviation fuel, air charter service, air ambulance service, flight instruction and aircraft rental and repair. Harold handled the flying portion of the business and Edith the scheduling and record keeping duties. The Chandlers operated the fixed base operation until it was sold to Alexandria Aviation, Inc. in 1973.

Harold Chandler earned his military pilot wings in 1942 and served our country during World War II as a pilot flying multi-engine transport planes in the Pacific Theater of Operations. After the war and until the Chandlers moved to Alexandria, he was a flight instructor and agricultural crop sprayer in northwestern Minnesota.

Harold held pilot certificates for instruction of student pilots for private, commercial and instrument ratings. Harold was also a licensed Federal Aeronautical Examiner and was responsible for giving flight instruction to hundreds of pilots in this area and he administered flight examinations to hundreds of others. Harold retired as airport manager in 1973 but continued to give flight examinations until 1979.

In December, 1978, by proclamation of the Alexandria City Council, the airfield was renamed Chandler Field in honor and appreciation of all the work done by Harold and Edith Chandler in the advancement of aviation in this area.

This information is from the Alexandria Flying Club, Inc., 1991.