This is a book about a local New Haven Connecticut young man drafted into the US Army in 1917 and sent off to those very dreadful, bloody and deadly trenches of France in WW-1.But it is more than that. The book is a reminder to us some 100 years later, of the support this soldier - Private Ernest Stevens - received from his New Haven Home Front: The Knights of Columbus, Yale, The Red Cross, The Salvation Army, The YMCA, the New Haven public library system, Winchester, Mossberg and other arms manufactures that FDR later labeled as the "Arsenal of Democracy" during World War II. The core of the book is a copy of the unit book written by 302nd Field Artillary officers/historians in 1919 to capture the history of the unit and its part in the war. We have inserted selected letters from Earnest Stevens, at key points of his service, as well as surrounding the unit book with the context of the times. Earnest Stevens was just an ordinary young man - not old enough to drink, but old enough to die in the trenches - drafted into war like so many others. His letters reflect his ordinariness - no hero him, just someone doing his duty and hoping to get home. The book is about taking young Private Stevens, his Army unit, and his "home front" support, out of a shoebox tucked away in a dark closet, and bringing that young man and his world and culture into the light of today's times - and hopefully introduce and reintroduce today's citizens to a rich legacy of those who serve and those who support. Thanks Daniel Garitta is a graduate from Southern Connecticut State University. He taught middle school Social Studies and, on the side, has traveled New England with his mobile military display. His goal is to preserve the memories of our veterans so that the future population can learn from, and pass on, the stories which he has been documenting over the past 15 years. Dan's military collection spans over a century of United States history, beginning with items from World War One through the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. He hopes that his traveling show will help to encourage veterans to share their military experiences, in addition to inspiring the youth to develop an appreciation for the sacrifices our veterans made and engage them in documenting the stories of the veterans they interview.  Donald Johnson was raised in Butte,Montana and joined the Navy in 1964 at 20 years of age, shortly after the Cuban Missile Crisis. Following his years of active duty, including a tour to the Vietnam war zone in 1966, he finished college with a degree in mathematics from San Diego State University and entered the field of software development. Don's connection with the Navy did not end at the completion of his enlistment. For many years after his destroyer assignments he was a software developer at Cubic Defense Systems, slinging code for the US Navy & Air Force Tactical Aircrew Combat Training System (TACTS/ACMI), also known as the Top Gun System, the premier online training system for US and allied combat aircrews. Don brings many of his life experiences into his writings; work, travel, interesting friends, Navy ship reunions, the scientific world, faith ... and more.