Publisher's Synopsis
Not many people write a full account of their life. It is especially rare that a man at age 92, was able to write such a thorough account. When his wife passed away, Henry was so lonely that he began to write about his life, starting with his earliest memories, growing up in the Alleghany Mountains in Covington, Virginia during the Great Depression. His memories were so vivid and detailed that it brings his story to life. He remembered so many of those little things in life that it really makes one want to continue to read on. You will learn about what life was like in the different time periods in which he lived. He was an average American trying hard to make a life for himself and his family. He faced many challenges in his life, from surviving combat in the frigid winter of 1945 during the Battle of the Bulge with the 75th Division, to trying his hands at many different jobs, and facing many health issues. Henry said that he wrote this for his family to find when he was gone, but it has become much more than that. It has become a treasured piece of our American history. Henry was the last member of his generation of the Smith family. He wanted his children and future generations of his family to know where they came from. While at an Army training camp in Kentucky before shipping out to Europe in 1944, Henry ventured into town on leave and met a girl in a bowling alley. They had 3 dates and he carried her picture in his shirt pocket throughout the War. As soon as he got home, he married that girl. Anna Laura Conley was never far from his mind or his heart. As he wrote his story after she had passed away, he often paused to reflect on how much he missed her and how he longed to see her again. If you had a father or grandfather who grew up during the Great Depression and served in World War II, you should read this book. I think many questions that you might have will be answered and you might also gain an appreciation for what the "Greatest Generation" did to build our modern America. Henry Smith certainly offers us all a rare glimpse into our past that is slowly fading into the depths of time. -James Slagle McClintock (Editor)
