Joe was born and raised in the hills of western Pennsylvania. He joined the Navy in 1945 and received his wings in 1947. He attended college at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Cornell University, and graduated from the Northrop Aeronautical Institute in 1951.

His exciting story describes the challenges, tragedies, and successes which resulted during the development of McDonnell's famous line of fighters. He relates his experiences with these fighters as well as the unsuccessful but just as interesting company-funded prototypes.

Joe also proves that life does not end with retirement from such a fascinating job. Following his retirement as Director of Flight Test, he became actively involved in the world of General Aviation, flying and instructing acrobatics.

He has also acted for many years as the Chief Pilot for Wings of Hope, a humanitarian organization. He shows how the type of flying he has done after retirement has been just as exciting and rewarding!