Arthur David Simons was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in Field Artillery in 1941 upon graduation from the University of Missouri ROTC program with a degree in journalism. His first assignment was with the 98th Field Artillery Battalion as a platoon leader and later, battery commander, and was deployed to New Guinea in the early stages of World War II. In 1943, Captain Simons was assigned to the newly forming 6th Ranger Battalion where he served as a company commander and battalion executive officer.

Colonel Simons is best known for his role as Deputy Commander of Operation Ivory Coast, more famously know as the Son Tay Raid.