A youth in the Meuse-Argonne

the long version

"A Youth in the Meuse-Argonne is a first-hand account of World War I through the eyes of an enlisted soldier. William S. Triplet was a seventeen-year-old junior in high school when, on April 2, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson asked for a declaration of war. Triplet was eighteen months short of being of legal enlistment age, but the army didn't check birth certificates. The appeal of military benefits - room and board, travel, adventure, and fifteen dollars a month, plus knowing he would receive his high school diploma - was too much for the young Triplet to pass up.". "He participated in several actions, most notably the battle of the Meuse-Argonne. With both elegance and a touch of humor, he masterfully portrays the everyday life of the soldier, humanizing the men with whom he served. His vivid depictions of how soldiers fought give the reader a much clearer view of the terrifying experiences of combat. He also touches on the special problems he encountered as a sergeant with an infantry platoon composed of soldiers from many different walks of life."--BOOK JACKET.