When a barnstorming airplane show came through his Iowa farm-town, he saw the thrill of flight and knew then he wanted to fly. He immediately enlisted in the Army when he came of age during World War II, was privileged to be chosen for flight school in the Army Air Corps, earned his wings and became a navigator. That humble WW2 navigator serves as the direct inspiration of the "Navigator Benefits" name.
 
In his Bomber Group, the 92nd, he lead the way as navigator in the lead plane of huge formations of B-17s for more missions than any other navigators in his group.  After completing his time in the European theater with 35 combat missions earning both the Air Medal and Distinguished Flying Cross, he finished his time in the US Army Air Corps guiding non-combat flights in the Pacific.
 
To put courage in perspective, for the 92nd Bomb Group (out of Podington), 308 missions were flown with 154 losses. Bravery and courage indeed was shown each time they climbed into their plane and took off. Almost half of the American aircraft lost over Europe were B-17s like Dad's. (statistics courtesy of the 398th Bomb Group website)
 
(To give an idea of how lean the Depression years were back home, he often said he never ate better than when he went into the army. Very few people must have made that observation given the general opinion of army food in that day and time!)
 
After the War Years, he became the the first college graduate in his family, even being admitted to medical school.
 
Dad came back home, found the love of his life (who herself had enlisted as a Nurse Cadet), and brought up a small cohesive family in Iowa.
 
To Dad and Mom, Navigator Benefits is dedicated, only after dedication to the Lord Jesus Christ and His glory!