Field Kindley was born on March 13, 1896, in Prairie Grove, Arkansas. He enlisted in the Kansas National Guard in May 1917, and transferred to the Aviation Section of the Army Signal Corps for flight training in July 1917. After attending the School of Military Aeronautics at the University of Illinois, he was sent to England for advanced flight training in September 1917, and was commissioned a 1st Lt in April 1918. His first assignment was flying Sopwith Camels with the Royal Air Force's 65th Squadron from May to July 1918, where he was credited with destroying 1 enemy aircraft in aerial combat. Lt Kindley next served with the 148th Aero Squadron of the U.S. Army Air Service from July 1918 until the war ended in November. During this time he was credited with destroying 11 more enemy aircraft, for a total of 12 in World War I. After the war, Capt Kindley commanded the 94th Aero Squadron at Kelly Field, Texas, and he died from injuries received in an aircraft crash on February 1, 1920. He was buried at Hillcrest Cemetery in Gravette, Arkansas.

His 2nd Distinguished Service Cross Citation reads:

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Field E. Kindley, First Lieutenant (Air Service), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Marcoing, France, September 27, 1918: Flying at a low altitude, First Lieutenant Kindley bombed the railway at Marcoing and drove down an enemy balloon. He then attacked German troops at a low altitude and silenced a hostile machine gun, after which he shot down in flames an enemy plane (type Halberstadt) which had attacked him. Lieutenant Kindley has so far destroyed seven enemy aircraft and driven down three out of control.