My military career began December 26, 1941, when with two other neighbor boys, I enlisted at the Fort Scott, Kansas, courthouse. The recruiting officer put us on the Frisco passenger train in route to Kansas City, Missouri. From there we were bused to Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, to be sworn into the USAF on December 27, 1941. After being assigned uniforms and supplies, I traveled by railroad troop train to Sheppard Field, Texas, for about six weeks of basic training. I was then taken by bus to the Oklahoma Municipal Airport in Tulsa, OK. There I attended Spartan School of Aeronautics for ten 10-day courses on the various phases of aircraft maintenance. After graduating in the top 10% of the class, I was sent with a group to Barksdale Field near Shreveport, Louisiana to be assigned to the 319 Bomb Group; 440 Bomb Squadron. My group was equipped with the Martin B-26-B planes. Later on September 27, 1947 from New York City harbor we boarded the British ship The Queen Mary for Greenock, Scotland. After traveling by train and later boarding The Moultain, a British Indian boat converted to haul troops. We went ashore in landing barges as part of the North African Invasion force at the port of Arzew, Algiers. Soon after arriving at the Algiers Airport we were assembled as a ground maintenance crew to service planes that lacked ground maintenance crews. It was here that we manually fueled planes using British 5 gallon gas cans that had been shipped two per paper box. Large simple funnels and chamois skin were used to strain the fuel. These planes were in combat, supporting the invasion forces that were liberating the North African area, the British 8th army, and helped liberate the North African area west of Palestine, or the Holy Land. During the remainder of the war in Europe our group supported neutralized Anzio, other beach heads, Monte Casino and destroyed roads and transportation of all kinds, including bridges and railroad facilities that brought supplies to the Germans defending Italy. During my 46 months of service, I participated in about ten different campaigns in the European conflict of World War II. During my service in the USAF, I participated in a money saving plan referred to as 'Soldiers Deposit'. Upon my discharge, this account valued $1,750. I was able to buy a new tractor, pillow cultivator, planter, and some smaller tools. Together with my parents Fred and Emma Grisier, I started a farming operation. This tractor is still in operation and used here on the farm 50 years later by our 3 sons who continue to operate Grisier Farms. On September 27, 1945, I was discharged at Fort Leavenworth, and returned to my home farm where I was born, Yates Center, Kansas. Alice L. Umholtz and I were married April 4, 1948. We have four sons and one daughter. I am now retired after a life of farming, and 27 years as an insurance agent.