"Crawl through the trenches of France with American infantrymen and experience the horrendous brutality of WWI warfare... reminiscent of the carnage in Civil War battle scenes in The Red Badge of Courage. Then follow the "doughboys" as they assimilate back into American society, often with heartbreaking and unforgettable outcomes." - Jameson Gregg, Benjamin Franklin Award Winner and Georgia Author of the Year

In his hometown in Wellington Ohio, Sam McCormick is on a path to follow in his father's footsteps, leading a life of hard work as a factory manager. But in 1915, Sam loses his parents when the Lusitania is sunk by a U-boat. Soon after, Sam is called up during World War I as an infantryman with the Army's American Expeditionary Forces and the first division to be sent to France to battle the very forces that killed his loved ones.

Now Sam's aim is to seek vengeance for his parents' death. He must survive brutal gas attacks, rapid machine gun fire, and relentless artillery strikes. As he and his troops repeatedly cross into "no man's land" to take over German trenches, he will cross paths with notable leaders such as General Pershing, General Douglas MacArthur, Colonel George Patton, and Sergeant York, one of the most highly decorated American soldiers of WWI.

But Sam's attitude changes as the war drags on, and the body count rises. Now Sam just wants the killing to stop. When he is wounded, he finds hope again to rebuild a life with his bride Marie, a witty and intelligent French nurse. But when he returns home, the United States that he loved as a civilian looks far different after the war as a veteran.

Sam McCormick must become The Patriarch. His family and way of life depend on it.

A tale of courage, sacrifice, love and honor, this 20th Century historical fiction saga addresses the horrors of WW1 and the challenges that military men faced upon returning including mental trauma, and physical illness in addition to the hardships of the Great Depression as well as other historical events before WWII, including the Bonus Army March of 1932 and the Little Steel Strikes of 1937.

The Patriarch is a must-read for readers who enjoy...

• Larry Freeland's best-selling book Chariots in the Sky, a Vietnam War novel

• Nonstop, page-turning action, adventure, and romance, combined with historically accurate events

• Creative nonfiction that includes real history with great military heroes of our time

• Family sagas and series books where the journey continues in trilogy form

• Gifts for military and war history buffs

• Books like All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque, The Guns of August by Barbara W. Tuchman, and A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway.

Available in paperback and Kindle ebook.

Praise for Legacy of Honor: The Patriarch

"Freeland weaves together an exciting, action-packed, and historically accurate tale of war and romance during and after World War 1." - James Harvey, author of Grayton Beach Affair

"Freeland writes in nearly encyclopedic fashion as he includes background information about the World War I trenches, the history of the nursing corps, the big increase of cigarette use among American military personnel, the history of "Reveille," and the meaning of "buying the farm," among many other things. He also takes the reader on a 30,000-foot overview of a battle about to take place before dropping us down into the action. Freeland's aim is for his trilogy to explore how this country treats its warriors and veterans during and after our wars. With Book One, The Patriarch, he's off to a good start. - Bill McCloud - Vietnam Veterans of America

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• Biographies & MemoirsHistoricalMilitary & WarsBranchesArmy

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