Graduated from Coalgate (OK) High School in 1935. Began service with the Civilian Conservation Corps service October 1936 in Kingman, AZ, then aqueduct construction in NY. After Pearl Harbor he enlisted in the Army on 2 Jan 1942. Originally trained in Airplane Mechanics at Sheppard Field, TX, and First and Second Echelon Maintenance training at Lockheed-Vega in North Hollywood, CA, he volunteered for bomber service and began training at Pyote, TX in May, 1943. Later training was at Dyersburg, TN in July 43 and then Scott Field, Ill in August 1943. His crew then flew their B-17 overseas via the northern route where, after additional training he joined the 100th Bomb Group at Thorpe Abbotts. His first training flight there was on 19 October 1943, and first combat mission was on 3 November 1943, the all-out mission to bomb the German port areas of Wilhelmshaven. Completed 25 tour 29 February 1944, Brunswick mission.