Part 1 Chapter 4 Summary

Although he was two years older than draft age, Harry enlisted in the Army when the United States entered World War 1. Like most people, Harry took the view that the war would be over quickly. Legally blind in his left eye, he nonetheless passed his physical. Harry's going into the Army meant that his sister, Mary Jane, was left to oversee the farm and take care of their mother. Although Bess was willing to marry him before the war, he told her they must wait until he was safely home.

After several months in hard training, Harry arrived in New York City on March 19, 1918. There he bought six pairs of eyeglasses. He sailed to France on a confiscated German ocean liner and took artillery training. He was made a Captain and became commander of a battery of soldiers, most of whom...