During World War II he joined the United States Navy and went to radio school in Memphis, Tennessee. He graduated, and became an Aviation Radio Man (ARM). He was assigned to the Naval Air Transport Service (NATS), Air Transport Squadron 2, (VR-2) at the Naval Air Station (NAS) at Alameda, California. He was a crew member on the Worlds Largest Operational Sea Plane, The Martin Mars and The Philippine Mars.