A farmer, he joined the Air Force in June 1942 and after training joined a RAF repair depot in England before being re-assigned as an instrument specialist to the 356thFG group at Martlesham Heath. From June 1944 'Buzz' bombs were a menace, many directly over the airfield, sometimes only 50ft above the ground. on October 25th one exploded just 300 yards from his Nissen hut and knocked him off his bicycle. Not long after he was transferred to the 305th BG and - finally - to the 306th as a B-17 waist gunner.

After the war he first became a painting contractor and then returned to farming - just a mile from where he grew up.