All for Heaven, Hell, or Hoboken: The World War I Diary and Letters of Clair M. Pfennig, Flash Ranger, Company D, 29 Engineers, A.E.F. [signed]

On September 26, 1918, the American Expeditionary Force initiated an attack on German lines in France that would turn into the most prolonged battle in U.S. history. The Meuse-Argonne Operation lasted 47 days and involved over 1.2 million troops. So convinced the offensive would bring about a final German defeat, General John J. Pershing, Commander of the A.E.F., commented that his troops would meet their final destiny by Christmas--Heaven, Hell, or Hoboken. Indeed, he was right. The Meuse-Argonne Operation ended in the signing of the Armistice on November 11. Eighty years ago, over 3 million American men were inducted into service to fight in the Great War. Private Clair M. Pfennig was one of those men. Based upon Private Pfennig's personal diary and published letters, All for Heaven, Hell, or Hoboken provides an intimate portrait of World War I from the perspective of a typical American soldier. Augmented with explanatory passages, photographs and maps, All for Heaven, Hell, or Hoboken also serves as an interesting source of information about a war that today seems to have passed from America's collective memory.