He was born in Bucharest. From 1913 to 1915 he studied at the Cavalry Officer School in Târgoviște, graduating with the rank of second lieutenant. He fought in World War I with the 4th Regiment Roșiori "Regina Maria", and in 1917 was promoted to lieutenant. He stood out in August 1917 during the Third Battle of Oituz, when he commanded a machine-gun detachment in the assault on Tarapan Hill, and was later wounded in action; for his valor, he was decorated with the Order of Michael the Brave, 3rd class. In the spring of 1919 he served with the 4th Regiment in the Hungarian–Romanian War, first in command of the 2nd Squadron and then of a machine-gun group. In October 1919 he was promoted to captain.