▁license ▁and ▁his ▁military ▁records ▁confirm ▁the ▁ 1 8 9 1 ▁date .) ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 7 ▁Jones ▁joined ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Army ▁a ▁month ▁after ▁his ▁ 1 6 th ▁birth day : ▁his ▁mother ▁had ▁signed ▁a ▁consent ▁form ▁that ▁gave ▁his ▁age ▁as ▁ 1 8 . ▁He ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁Tro op ▁G , ▁ 6 th ▁Caval ry ▁Regiment , ▁and ▁was ▁deployed ▁to ▁the ▁Philippines ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 0 7 , ▁where ▁he ▁served ▁in ▁combat ▁and ▁was ▁wounded ▁during ▁the ▁Mor o ▁Reb ell ion . ▁Upon ▁his ▁return ▁to ▁the ▁US ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 0 9 , ▁he ▁was ▁honor ably ▁dis charg ed ▁at ▁Fort ▁Mc D ow ell , ▁California . ▁ ▁Jones ▁had ▁an ▁affection ▁for ▁race ▁cars ▁and ▁the ▁racing ▁industry , ▁and ▁became ▁close ▁friends ▁with ▁early ▁race - car ▁driver ▁Harry ▁Still man . ▁Through ▁his ▁association ▁with ▁Still man ▁he ▁began ▁working ▁extens ively ▁as ▁a ▁test ▁driver ▁for ▁the ▁Mar mon ▁Motor ▁Car ▁Company . ▁Yet ▁by ▁October ▁ 1 9 1 0 ▁he ▁had ▁re - en list ed ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Army . ▁Because ▁he ▁wanted ▁to ▁learn ▁to ▁fly , ▁he ▁requested ▁a ▁transfer ▁to ▁the ▁Aer onaut ical ▁Division , ▁U . S . ▁Sign al ▁Corps ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 3 , ▁without ▁knowing ▁that ▁only ▁an ▁officer ▁could ▁become ▁a ▁pilot . ▁He ▁received ▁his ▁second ▁honor able ▁dis charge ▁from ▁the