Book excerpt: Johan S. Opheim, commonly known as "Joe", was inducted into the U.S. Army just a few days before Pearl Harbor in World War II. Having grown up on the plains of Eastern Montana and having experienced the struggles of the Great Depression, and challenging family situations, he was well prepared for the hardships he endured. He served with his fellow members of the 3rd Infantry Division in the Mediterranean theater, starting first with North Africa, then on to Sicily, then the Italian mainland and eventually on to the South of France where he met his untimely death. He was remembered for his jovial attitude towards life and his intellect, the later of which he did not have the opportunity to develop more fully. Relatives had saved 165 of his letters that he had written to them from the mid 1930s and up through his last campaign. The author has reprinted these letters and developed Joe's biography by filling in the gaps of information about his life which includes comments regarding the contents of the letters, and narratives about his travels and his unit's experiences.