Henry D. Ahern Sr. was born and raised on his family farm in the Lower Intervale section of Plymouth, New Hampshire. He attended the local one-room schoolhouse before leaving high school in 1936 to provide financial support for his family. For several years, he worked a variety of trades, including operating machinery at a woolen mill and working as a self-employed truck driver.

In October 1942, Ahern entered military service with the U.S. Army. Initially trained as an aircraft mechanic, his career path shifted significantly in June 1944 when he transferred to the Army Air Corps. He completed advanced pilot training in Pecos, Texas, earning his wings with the 44F class. By August of that year, he was deployed to the Pacific Theater.

During World War II, Ahern served with the 38th Bomb Group, known as “The Sun Setters.” Operating as a co-pilot on a B-25 Bomber, he flew 38 combat missions totaling 253 flight hours. His service placed him in the cockpit during major aerial campaigns essential to the liberation of the Philippines and operations throughout the South Pacific.

Following the war, Ahern remained in the service and played a critical role in the early Cold War. In 1949, he served as a C-54 pilot during the Berlin Airlift, flying vital supplies into the blockaded city. His subsequent years of service took him to various duty stations, including Oklahoma, Georgia, and overseas assignments in Japan and Eniwetok.

Ahern retired from the military in 1962 at the rank of Major. Upon returning to New Hampshire, he built a home in his native Plymouth and transitioned into a second career in management, eventually retiring from Harris Brothers Furniture in 1984. He spent his later years between the shores of Little Squam Lake and Florida.