As an RCAF pilot in the Second World War, Arnold joined Number 14 Fighter Squadron when it was formed at Ottawa, January 1942, after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbour. The squadron was stationed at Vancouver, B.C. on west coast defence, in 1942. In January 1943 they were posted to Alaska and served under the command of the USAAF in the battle to take back the island of Kiska from the Japanese.

The squadron was posted to Britain in January 1944 to train in the Supermarine Spitfire IXB under renowned Second World War pilot, "Johnnie" Johnson. Number 14 Fighter Squadron was renumbered 442 Fighter Squadron to become one of three squadrons in the newly formed 144 Wing. Following D-Day their squadron was deployed to Ste Croix-sur-Mer in Normandy, to become the first Allied Wing to operate from a base in France in four-and-one-half years. The story ends with the Second World War.

The background image is from the painting Comox Y2K MkIX Spitfire by David P. Miller and is used with permission.