Tuhia he tohutoro mō tēnei wāhanga - I te Pakanga Tuarua o te Ao, i mahi a Ford hei upoko o te wae whakaahua mo te Tari o nga Ratonga Rautaki me te hanga tuhinga mo te Tari Navy. I whakawhiwhia ia hei rangatira i te United States Navy Reserve. I wini ia i etahi atu Tohu Academy e rua i tenei wa, kotahi mo te haurua-tohunga "Te Pakanga o Midway" (1942), me tetahi mo te kiriata whakatairanga "" (1943). I whakaatahia e Ford te whakaeke a Hapani ki Midway
mai i te wheketere hiko o Sand Island, a i whara i te ringa.