Al was working in construction along with his father and brothers when he was drafted in February 1943. Assigned to the trucking company he - along with 20,000 other GIs- boarded the 'Queen Mary' and joined the company at Wattisham, a supply distribution centre for the 8thAF. In October 1944 he was transferred to a new base in the west and then to France to the 9thAF. He was discharged in March 1946 and returned to contract construction.