ˈæftɚ ɡɹˈædjuːˌeɪɾɪŋ fɹʌm fˈɜːɡəs hˈaɪ skˈuːl ɪn lˈuːɪstˌaʊn, mɑːntˈænə ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi wˈʌn, hiː ɐtˈɛndᵻd mɑːntˈænə stˈeɪt kˈɑːlɪdʒ nˈaʊ mɑːntˈænə stˈeɪt jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ʌntˈɪl hiː ɛnlˈɪstᵻd ɪnðə jˈuː.ˈɛs. ˈɑːɹmi ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi θɹˈiː.
After graduating from Fergus High School in Lewistown, Montana in 1941, he attended Montana State College (now Montana State University) until he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1943.