Upon graduation from high school, Joe, as he was known to his friends, was drafted into the United States Army. He took his basic training at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, and was accepted for additional educational training at the Reconditioning School at the Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia. While there the Japanese surrendered. In October 1945, he was sent to Korea with the 42 Military Governments as a Quartermaster Clerk and promoted to Tech 5 rank. Joe spent most of his time assisting in the control of military equipment for the organization of the US and Korean Military. On 4 April 1946, he returned to the United States and was sent to Camp McCoy, Wisconsin for discharge on 30 April, 1946. He received the Good Conduct, American Theater, Asiatic-Pacific Theater, the WWII Victory, and the Korean Occupation Medal.