He was the watch officer aboard the New York on November 21, 1918, who recorded the surrender of the Imperial German Navy High Seas Fleet in her log.

[7] He was promoted to commander in 1936 and assigned as executive officer of the Guam Naval Station and aide for civil administration.

In that capacity, he established the White House Map Room, and accompanied Roosevelt to the January 1943 Casablanca conference, and took notes.

He served under Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher in the Northern and Western Pacific, commanding Task Force 92 in attacks on the Kuriles.

[4][12] He was a vice president for client relations at John Hancock Life Insurance Company in Boston until he retired in 1966.