Born in Oklahoma and moved to Red Bluff, CA about 1935. Attended Red Bluff High School graduating in 1940. After High School he went to work in the lumber industry, at Sprague River Oregon. He worked there with his brother and his future Father in law and also met his wife, the former Leona Schmitz. They were married at Reno, NV on 21 September 1941 and took up residence in Klamath Falls, OR. He enlisted as a SSGT in the US ARMY Air Corp 1943 during World War II.
He was a waist gunner flying in B17 flying fortresses over Germany, and spent the last 6 months of the war in the Stalag Luft IV prisoner of War Camp after his plane was shot down, and was liberated at the end of the War. He returned to Oregon for a few years but became interested in Orchards and moved to California. He was employed by the Grant Merrill Orchards in Red Bluff, CA and the Elder Creek Ranch in ElCamino. (Gerber). He retired and moved to Bonanza, OR, taking up livestock raising and working for the Langell Valley Irrigation District as their Manager.
He was a waist gunner flying in B17 flying fortresses over Germany, and spent the last 6 months of the war in the Stalag Luft IV prisoner of War Camp after his plane was shot down, and was liberated at the end of the War. He returned to Oregon for a few years but became interested in Orchards and moved to California. He was employed by the Grant Merrill Orchards in Red Bluff, CA and the Elder Creek Ranch in ElCamino. (Gerber). He retired and moved to Bonanza, OR, taking up livestock raising and working for the Langell Valley Irrigation District as their Manager.
Born in Oklahoma and moved to Red Bluff, CA about 1935. Attended Red Bluff High School graduating in 1940. After High School he went to work in the lumber industry, at Sprague River Oregon. He worked there with his brother and his future Father in law and also met his wife, the former Leona Schmitz. They were married at Reno, NV on 21 September 1941 and took up residence in Klamath Falls, OR. He enlisted as a SSGT in the US ARMY Air Corp 1943 during World War II.
He was a waist gunner flying in B17 flying fortresses over Germany, and spent the last 6 months of the war in the Stalag Luft IV prisoner of War Camp after his plane was shot down, and was liberated at the end of the War. He returned to Oregon for a few years but became interested in Orchards and moved to California. He was employed by the Grant Merrill Orchards in Red Bluff, CA and the Elder Creek Ranch in ElCamino. (Gerber). He retired and moved to Bonanza, OR, taking up livestock raising and working for the Langell Valley Irrigation District as their Manager.
He was a waist gunner flying in B17 flying fortresses over Germany, and spent the last 6 months of the war in the Stalag Luft IV prisoner of War Camp after his plane was shot down, and was liberated at the end of the War. He returned to Oregon for a few years but became interested in Orchards and moved to California. He was employed by the Grant Merrill Orchards in Red Bluff, CA and the Elder Creek Ranch in ElCamino. (Gerber). He retired and moved to Bonanza, OR, taking up livestock raising and working for the Langell Valley Irrigation District as their Manager.
