Bio

Born March 3 1926, Chicago, IL. After graduating from Calumet High School in Chicago, IL, enlisted in USAAF as Aviation Cadet Candidate February 1944.  With aviation cadet program phasing down, elected to take aerial gunnery training. Received aerial gunnery wings from Las Vegas AAF Flexible Gunnery School, NV October 1944. Completed combat air crew training as B-17 Flying Fortress waist gunner at Alexandria AAF, LA in Spring 1945. With air crew, ferried new B-17G from Savannah, GA to England arriving April 1945 and assigned to 8th AF, 34th BG, 7th BS in Mendlesham. Flew as member of B-17 back up crew on navigational practice flights, coastal patrols, and food drops in Holland. Battles and Campaigns: Rhineland. Decorations and Citations: Good Conduct Medal, WWII Victory Medal, European-African Theater Ribbon with 1 Bronze Battle Star and American Theater Ribbon. Returned to US June 1945. Honorably discharged June 1946 with rank of Staff Sergeant after assignments at Sioux Falls, SD, Albuquerque, NM, Sheppard Field, TX, and Boca Raton, FL. Enlisted in USAF Reserve for three years. Received BSEE from University of Illinois. Worked as senior technical staff engineer, group engineer, subproject manager and consultant in Europe and domestically on various aerospace projects for Douglas Aircraft, TRW and Martin Marietta.  Retired from TRW in 1989. Married to high school sweetheart since 1946. Have two daughters, six grandchildren and ten great grandchildren. Reside in Tellico Village at Loudon, TN.