 He was born in New York City and entered military service on May 18, 1915.He served in combat in France from 1917–1918 during World War I and then became an instructor at the Infantry Weapons School in Chatillion-Sur-Seine, France.From 1921-1922 he was a student in the Company Officers’ Course at Fort Benning, Georgia, and shortly thereafter served in Japan, the Philippines and Hawaii.