John enlisted in the Mississippi State Militia in 1914 and served in the Mexican Campaign that went after Pancho Villa. In 1917, John enlisted in the regular army, where he was trained as an aircraft mechanic in the new airwing of the US Army. By 1931, he was a M/Sgt with the 13th Pursuit Squadron based in the Philppines. He was then promoted to lieutenenat, then captain, and retired as a major, having served during WWII as Base Adj., Base Ex O, Base Engineer/Operations, then commanding officer of the 350th AB Squadron, also served as Group Adj. and Group Ex Officer of the 1st Air Depot, both positions at Oldfield in the Panama Canal Zone. John is buried in the Fort Sam Houston National Military Cemetary in San Antonio, Texas.