I spent 28 years in the United State Air Force, from April 1942 until January 1970. Flight training was at Tulare and Lemoore in California with graduation at Luke Field, Arizona in September 1942.

My first assignment was at Hamilton field, California flying P-39s on submarine patrol. In April 1943 I was flying convoy patrol from Gibraltar to east of Italy. In June 1944, I was in India, Burma and China flying P-40s and P-47s. I returned to the States in December 1944.

Eula and I were married in 1945 and spent some years in Dateland and Yuma in Arizona as well as Randolph Field in Texas and Bartow in Florida.

In 1952, I was in Japan doing planning and C-47 missions to Korea. At Matsushima Air Base, I was the assistant Base Commander and worked Operation Cherry Blossom.

In 1957, we returned to the State and assignments at ROTC at Loyola University followed by time in New York and Colorado. By this time our family had grown by four daughters. In 1963 I was assigned as plans officer to the Danish Air Force and attended a demanding survival school in Norway. After a stint in Germany I went to Vietnam for planning and flights as forward controller in 0-1 and 0-2 aircraft. I have flown 37 different military aircraft both conventional and jets logging 11,590 hours. I have taught ground and flight school. Our years of military service were a wonderful experience for our entire family. We have so many wonderful memories of friends and places from all corners of the world.