[3] After serving in the Korean War as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army, he became involved in the Virginia Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Company, later becoming its training director.
[4] Townes made significant strides in the Republican Party, despite the shifting political landscape for African Americans.
[4] In 1965, he ran for a Virginia House of Delegates seat, drawing attention to increased African American political participation in the South.
Later, Townes co-founded the Joint Center for Political Affairs, aiding newly elected Black officials.
Additionally, he played pivotal roles in education, consultancy on equal employment matters, and entrepreneurship, establishing Metropolitan Coach, an African American-owned charter bus line.