Kendall Carlson earned his wings with the Royal Canadian Air Force prior to America’s entry into World War II, and transferred to the U.S. Army Air Forces in 1943. During World War II, he became a U.S. Army Air Forces ACE, credited with shooting down 6 enemy aircraft in aerial combat. After the war he flew combat with the U.S. Air Force in Korea, and retired in 1951 as a Lieutenant Colonel.