"One Step from Glory" is the story of four young men and their reactions to war, this book details their training, trials, and tribulations as they face the realities of war in France. The individuals are a blend of many different characters who participated in the fighting. The story chronicles their feelings, fears, loves, and friendships.
Aviation and submarines played a major role in combat situations during the Great War for the first time in history, so their story needs to be told.
World War One was a mixture of the old and the new. The modern artillery for the most part was moved by horsepower. In1917 the war in France had ground to a stalemate consisting of a large network of trenches stretching from the North Sea to the borders of Switzerland characterized by their zigzag pattern which became symbols of the deadlock that defined much of the Great War as the two sides fought across no man's land with neither side able to secure a decisive victory for years, leading to enormous casualties due to the devastating firepower of modern artillery and machine guns. America entering the war helped the Allies break that deadlock.
In this account two characters were part of the 149th Field Artillery, one other was a pilot assigned to the 96th or Kicking Mule Squadron, and the fourth was an infantry officer serving with the 167th Infantry. The story narrates each individual and their reactions to the fighting.
Other characters include a newsman from Chicago, a Stars and Stripes newsman who was a brother to one of the leading characters, and a history professor who details the reasons for the war and was also a National Guard major with the Rainbow or 42nd Division. One Step from Glory details the movement of American troops throughout France.
This is a very personal story about the men involved, their feelings, their loves, their hurts, and the deaths of friends. The theme is that war is devastating to those who are in it or under the gun. The impact of the Great War was that it cost America over 100,000 casualties. The major commitment of U.S. troops didn't start until late in 1917 which involved the primary characters, and the Armistice which was signed on the 11th of November in 1918. A short time in which many Americans died.
Much of the action highlights the movement of the book's characters and features ships, rail, trucks, marching, and aircraft engagements.
I graduated from U of I with a BS in management and a minor in economics. My business career has been in management and sales. In the 1980's I started my own business as a business forms and printing distributor. I sold the Company in the late 90's. From there I flew as a contract Flight Instructor at Kirtland Flight Center, at Kirtland AFB here in Albuquerque. It was during this time as a flight instructor that I wrote One Step from Glory. I am now retired.
