Irving Harold Rauw was born in Gresham, Oregon to Mr. and Mrs. Matt Rauw. In his younger years he attended the Ainsworth and Kerns grad schools. Then his family moved to Spokane, Washington and he graduated from Lewis and Clark high school.

Following high school, he attended the University of Idaho from 1936 to 1940 to study forestry. Irving was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity throughout his time at the university, was on the Vandal swim team, and was a member of the Associated Foresters. In 1937 and 1938, he became president of the university's Hell Divers Club, which was composed of students who passed the senior life-saving tests of the American Red Cross. In 1940, he graduated from the university with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture.

Like many young men, Irving joined the U.S. Army during World War Two. He earned his Pilot Winds at Williams Air Force Base in Arizona on July 23, 1942. From there he was sent to Greenland, England, North Africa, and Italy. Over the course of the war, he flew the Oregon B-26 Marauder, named Repulsive Wabbit. He participated in bombing raids over Lampedusa, Pantelleria, Sicily, and Sardinia. He and his comrades were a part of the historic raids on the Rome railroad yards. Irving was eventually made to go state-side due to issues with his eyesight. After the war, Irving became coordinator for combat returnees at the Douglas Army Air Field in Douglas, Arizona. He also worked at the Sequoia Air Field in Visalia, California.