Son of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Downing. Entered service July 31, 1942. Basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma ; also Officers training. 75th Division Artillery at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Lidison Pilot training at Denton, Texas. 215th F.A. Battalion at Fort Bragg, North Carolina; England, France, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, Germany, and Austria. Discharged February 6, 1946 as First Lieutenant.