John Chandler Gurney

John Chandler Gurney ( born May 21, 1896 in Yankton, South Dakota; † March 9, 1985 ibid ) was an American politician ( Republican), who represented the state of South Dakota in the U.S. Senate.

John Gurney attended the public schools in Yankton. During World War II he served with the rank of sergeant in a unit of the U.S. Army, which was used from 1918 to 1919 in Europe. After returning to the United States, he worked again for the seed and nursery company of his family, the Gurney Seed Company. Between 1926 and 1932 he operated a radio station in Yankton, before he moved to Sioux Falls in 1932, where he worked in the oil business.

1936 was Gurney's first candidacy for a seat in the U.S. Senate failed; two years later he won the election for the second Senate seat from South Dakota. After a re-election in 1944 he remained from 3 January 1939 to January 3, 1951 at the Senate. He was 1947-1949 Chairman of the Defence Committee. Also in 1950, he sought to re-election, but was defeated in the primary of his party against Francis H. Case.

After his political career Gurney has been appointed in 1951 as a member of the Civil Aeronautics Board. This was a subordinate of the U.S. Department of Commerce, but independently operating authority which was responsible for safety regulations in civil aviation. In 1954, he became its chairman, which he remained until 1964. He sat down to rest in Yankton, where he died in 1985.