Gaylord Kelshall was born in San Fernando in 1940 and attended St. Peters College in Point a Pierre. His first job was as an Operations Officer with B.W.I.A.in 1958. He acquired his first pilot's license in 1963 and became the first pilot of the Air Wing of the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard in 1964.

After training in the United Kingdom and in the United States of America he flew with the Air Wing until appointed to form the Helicopter Branch of the Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force in 1973. In 1976 he attended the Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and later became a Corporate Airline captain. In 1986 he was appointed Chairman of the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago.

He is the founder of a number of organisations as well as being a historical consultant. He is also the founder of the Chaguaramas Military History and Aerospace Museum and was its President from inception to 2013 when he resigned due to health reasons. He has been retained by the Board as a consultant. He is the author of over twelve historical books and is a research and military history expert.