 In 1944 , Ford left the University of Kentucky to join the army , enlisting for service in World War II on July 22 , 1944 . He was trained as an administrative non @-@ commissioned officer and promoted to the rank of technical sergeant on November 17 , 1945 . Over the course of his service , he received the American Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal and earned the Expert Infantryman Badge and Good Conduct Medal . He was honorably discharged on June 18 , 1946 . 
