Harry became interested in aviation as a child while growing up in Nebraska City, Nebraska, located a short distance south of Omaha. He grew up during World War II and observed the AT-6 Texan aircraft that were flying overhead. They were training fighter pilots for the war and he used to think "what fun that would be to fly something like that." He would later take his primary training in the AT-6.
Harry applied for Aviation Cadet training and in 1952 he was sent to Offutt AFB in Omaha for his preliminary physical. He was then sent to Lowry AFB in Denver, Colorado for a series of academic, coordination, and other aptitude and psychological tests. He passed everything and was accepted to start his class in October 1952. The Air Force, however, was kind enough to defer him for a year so he could finish college and still be in the flight training program. Three days after college graduation in 1953, Harry entered the Aviation Cadet training program at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas, "a dream of a small boy come true!!"
After three months of pre-flight training at Lackland AFB, he was assigned to Kinston AB in North Carolina for his primary training. The first aircraft they learned to fly was a souped-up version of the Piper Cub then they went on to the AT-6. His next assignment was to fighter training at Laredo AFB, Texas in the Class of 54P where he trained in the T-28 and the T-33. Graduation was held in August 1954 where he received his "wings" and the rank of Second Lieutenant.
Harry was selected for advanced gunnery training in the F-86 Sabre Jet at Nellis AFB, Las Vegas, Nevada beginning in September 1954. He was then sent to Europe where he was assigned to the 531st Fighter-Bomber Squadron of the 21st Fighter-Bomber Wing at Chambley AFB, France. He attained the rank of First Lieutenant during this assignment. He was on numerous TDY's such as Athens, Greece; Bitburg, Germany; and Wheelus AFB in Tripoli, Libya. Although he loved flying and most aspects of the military, he left military service at the end of his tour in 1957 and returned to civilian life where he served in the Air Force Reserve for eight more years.
Because of Harry's love of flying, he became a pilot with Continental Airlines. He continued in this capacity for only a short while because he felt the job was just not as rewarding or as exciting as being a jet fighter pilot. Harry then continued in his love of the Air Force and flying by teaching aeronautics in the high school in Cortez, Colorado for a number of years.
Another love of Harry's was the out-of-doors, so he left the teaching profession in 1966 and joined the National Park Service for his ultimate career. He served in progressively responsible positions such as "Buck Ranger" at Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park in California, Chief Ranger at Saratoga National Historical Park in New York, Chief of Interpretation and Resource Management at Buffalo National River in Arkansas, West Unit Manager at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado and ultimately as Superintendent of Zion National Park in Utah. He retired from the National Park Service in 1991 and moved to Grand Junction, Colorado where he enjoyed another passion, which was playing golf.
Harry remained an avid supporter of the Air Force during the rest of his life and was a Life Member of the F-86 Sabre Pilots Association. The friends made during his Air Force days have been life-long friends, many of whom he kept in touch with over the years. He attended every Chambley AFB Reunion that has been held, except for the first one in 1992—only because he did not know about it. Harry loved going to these reunions because the years in between get-togethers just seemed to melt away and it was "like the old times" telling tales of happenings during the good old days, the flight and personal experiences, the near-misses, and other unique stories that only F-86 Fighter Pilots can tell.
The main achievement of Harry, in regard to aviation, is that his boyhood dream came true of being a pilot, and a pilot of the "hottest and fastest fighter" that the Air Force had at that time ~ the F-86 Sabre Jet which was the first jet fighter that could exceed the speed of sound, which in those days seemed pretty awesome.