Gorrell, akapedza kudzidza paUnited States Military Academy muna 1912, akashanda makore maviri musoja asati azvipira kunoshanda muAviation Section, Signal Corps, kwaakava mutyairi wendege muna 1915. Basa rake bedzi rokubhururuka rakanga riri ne1st Aero Squadron, boka rokutanga rezvikepe zvemauto, iro raakaperekedza kuMexico sorutivi rweBasa Rokutambudza
. Zvikanganiso muzvikepe zvemauto zveAmerica zvakafumurwa mukati mekurwisa zvakatungamirira kugoverwa kwaGorrell kuMIT, kwaakawana dhigirii repamusoro muinjiniya wezvokufamba nendege. Unyanzvi hwake hwokugadzira zvinhu hwakaita kuti apinde muBolling Mission mumwedzi yokutanga yeUnited States kupinda muHondo Yenyika I, yakateverwa nemabasa ehurumende neAmerican Expeditionary Force. Akasimuka nokukurumidza muchikamu semutyairi wendege munguva yehondo kubva kumutevedzeri wokutanga kusvika kumukuru wemauto pakati paJuly 1916 naOctober 1918.