[1] When World War II started he was in the Philippine Islands and by April 1942 had flown 100 combat hours in P-40 Warhawk fighter aircraft.

He also flew a salvaged United States Navy Grumman J2F Duck nicknamed "Candy Clipper" delivering much needed aid to the besieged troops on Bataan and Corregidor.

He then returned to the United States for short tours in Florida, Virginia and Pennsylvania before being sent to Europe in November 1943, where he took part in the Normandy, North France and Rhineland Campaigns.

[1] He remained in Europe until January 1945 returning to the United States to spend the next two years in various operations and training assignments including Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

In June 1953 he was appointed deputy assistant chief of staff for operations for the Twelfth Air Force at Ramstein, West Germany.

[1] On December 11, 1959, he received the Bendix Trophy for flying a F-105 Thunderchief over a 100 kilometer closed course to establish a world speed record of 1,216 mph.