Briggs was born in Mitchell, South Dakota in 1930, and moved to southern California in 1935, where he was raised by his single mother. He attended high school and college in southern California and later served in the United States Air Force (1947–51), seeing action in the Korean Theater. After his stint in the Air Force, Briggs served in the United States Naval Reserve. Near the end of his military service, Briggs met his future wife, Carmen Nicasio, at a USO dance. Together, they had three children and currently have eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.