Joe was born in Sicily Island, Louisiana, as one of nine children. He worked on the family farm growing corn, potatoes, cabbage, watermelons, and other crops. He also helped raise cattle and hogs and slaughtered them for meat. The family used kerosene lamps for light and wood for cooking in their three-room house. He married Nancy Edwards on December 23, 1940. They have three children and three grandchildren. Joe was drafted into the U.S. Army Air Force in 1948. After basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, he was sent to Fort Worth where he "worked on" B-29s, B-50s, and B-36s in some of the military's first integrated units. Sent to Guam during the Korean War, he continued repairing airplanes. He recalls entertainers coming overseas, including Roy Rogers and his horse, Trigger. Later, in duty stations in Savannah, Georgia, and Little Rock, Arkansas, he repaired B-29s. Joe ended his service in 1960 as an E-8. He earned his GED after returning home.