I entered the Air Force in June of 1952 and was trained in B-29, B-50 and B-26 Aerial Gunnery at Lowery AFB, Colorado. Completed B-29 combat Crew Training at Randolph AFB, Texas in the fall of 1953. our crew was then assigned to Forbes AFB, Kansas. We found ourselves flying a KB-29 Tanker, and OJT training for air refueling.

In May of 1954, our crews were broken up, and several Gunners, including myself, received orders to the 17th Bomb Group, K-9, Korea. We went to replace B-26 crew members, as they had completed their tours. This was the first time that we had seen a B-26 up close. After a brief course on the aircraft, we began flying missions - Quite a difference from the B-29. The entire Group moved to Miho AB, Japan, in November 1954. The Group then moved back to the U.S. in March of 1955. They were not keeping Gunners, and many of us transferred to the 6091st RECONRON at Yokota.

At Yokota, I was a “fill-in”, flying with several crews, until getting picked up as Central Fire Control (CFC) Gunner by Aircraft Commander (A/C) 1st Lt. Clay “Dusty” Cairl. Dusty ws promoted to Captain later in the year. The crew adopted the name “Dusty's Demons”. In the Summer of 1956, Dusty returned to Stateside duty, and was replaced by Maj. Donald Prytulak.

I departed Yokota in June of 1958 for assignment to the 95th Bomb Wing (B-36 and B-52), at Biggs AFB, Texas and was discharged from there in 1960.