Ervin was a highly decorated Army veteran who served his country bravely in WWII. He was involved in combat in France, Sicily, Italy and Belgium. During the Battle of the Bulge, he was awarded the Purple Heart while assigned as a paratrooper to the 551st Battalion, known as "The Lost Battalion". The 551st Battalion has been acknowledged with many books and documentaries, including a Presidential Unit Citation and an award winning book, "The Left Corner of My Heart". Ervin was one of the last 2 surviving living light machine platoon gunners. He was later assigned to the 82nd Airborne.