Herbert Chambers enlisted in the US Army on July 23, 1930. He was Flying Cadet stationed in Hawaii. He was honorably discharged on June 30, 1931 and entered the Air Corps Reserves on July 1, 1931, where he remained until being honorably discharged on July 30, 1933 at the rank of Second Lieutenant. He continued flying as a civilian during the mid 1930’s, including as a crop duster in Belzoni, Miss., in 1937. On April 29, 1939, he returned to active duty in the Air Corps. A member of the 97th Bomb Group, Major Herbert Chambers was a passenger on board B-17E-BO AC# 41-9090 transitioning to England from the United States on 27 June 1942 when it had to ditch near an island in Narsarsuaq Fjord, near Narsaq, in 1500ft of water, 35 miles SW of Bluie West One, Greenland. Major Chambers and the rest of the 12-man crew left uninjured and were brought safely to England. The 97th Bomb Group was transferred to North Africa at the end of October 1942, and Major Chambers served there. He served in the following campaigns of Air Offensive Europe - Tunisia, Naples-Foggia, and Rome-Arno. Transferred to the 12th Air Force, he became Commanding Officer of the 322nd Air Service Group. He retired from the USAF with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.