He began his military career as a World War I pilot credited with six aerial victories and achieving the rank of First Lieutenant.

On the latter occasion, he served once again with fellow aerial combat veterans from World War I, Frank O'Driscoll Hunter and Carl Spaatz, rising to colonel.

On 1 August, in company with Charles Biddle and two other American pilots, he shot down two German Albatros D.V fighters over Viéville-en-Haye.

After helping bring over the first 180 airplanes for the 8th AAF, 1st FG, 97th BG, 60th TCG in the BOLERO Movement, he became the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, A-1, for the Eighth Air Force in Britain under a World War I comrade, Brigadier General Frank O'Driscoll Hunter; the two of them worked for another World War I companion, General Carl Spaatz, who had flown in the 13th PS (WWI),and Stovall became DC/S for the USSTAFE under Spaatz.

His stewardship of the land earned him the Delta Council Achievement Award for 1967-1968 as the pre-eminent conservationist among local farmers.

The Federal Land Bank granted him a 50th anniversary medal for his contributions to the cause of American agriculture just prior to his death.