Captain Senger was born in Harvey, North Dakota on 13 May 1915. Upon completion of high school in Harvey, he worked as a meat cutter and salesman for several years before entering the service.

In October 1940 he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force, and after training at several Canadian bases was sent to England as a bomber pilot. He served in the ETO as a Canadian Flight Lieutenant from March 1941 until October 1943, at which time he was commissioned as Captain in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He was assigned as an instrument pilot with the 8th Air Force, returning to the United States upon rotation in November 1943.

After processing at Santa Monica, California, he was assigned to Headquarters, AAF Training Command, then to Selman Field, Alabama, and later to Lockbourne Army Air Base. He was then sent to Alamogordo, New Mexico, and from there was assigned to the 61st Squadron of the 39th Bomb Group as an Airplane Commander and leader of "A" Flight.

Among the foreign decorations he received were the British Distinguished Service Order, British DFC, British Pathfinder's Award, 1939-1942 British Campaign Ribbon, British Allied Defense Ribbon, Canadian Service Ribbon, and the American Volunteer Ribbon (Canada). During his service with the RCAF, Captain Senger flew 46 pathfinder combat missions as pilot of Lancaster and Stirling bombers.