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Acknowledgments
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Acknowledgments For each person named here, there were two or three anonymous angels who floated through archival stacks, strained their eyes, and taxed their knowledge while running down answers to my questions . I turned first to John F. Votaw, executive director of the Cantigny First Division Foundation, for his knowledge of the Big Red One, commanded by General DePuy in Vietnam. Financial assistance for some travel for interviews, copying, and mailing was a happy by-product. Paul H. Herbert succeeded John as executive director, continued support, and read a rough draft of my manuscript. His comments were particularly useful in improving the World War II portion of the book. My Cantigny connections put me in contact with an old friend from our teaching days at West Point, James Scott Wheeler, who was well along with his The Big Red One, published in 2007 by the University Press of Kansas. Scott permitted me to read and cite from his manuscript before it was published. Frank Shirer, branch chief of the Historical Resources Branch, Center of Military History, United States Army, spared me several trips to Washington by responding to my requests for materials and sending them to me. The DePuy family was generous in lending me several boxes of General DePuy’s papers, many of which were not to be found elsewhere . The general’s children, William E. DePuy Jr., Daphne DePuy, and Joslin DePuy Gallatin, made themselves available for detailed interviews, providing unique insights into family life and the personal side of General DePuy that is generally not revealed outside of the small circle of family and friends. The interviews with Joslin and Daphne were at Highfield, the family retreat where General DePuy lived from 1977 to 1992. Some of the interviews were conducted at the round kitchen table where General DePuy often drafted ideas, letters, articles, and instructions on legal pads. I am grateful for the institution, holdings, and admirable professional staff of the United States Military History Institute, particu- larly for the knowledge and constant support and encouragement of Dave Keough, Dick Sommers, and Louise Arnold-Friend in this latest effort and over the years. Tom Hendrix solved almost all of my problems in recording and transcribing the interviews I conducted. At the risk of overlooking other anonymous angels, I thank Marty Andreson, Rich Baker, Art Bergeron, Tom Buffenbarger, Steve Bye, Pam Cheney, Jack Giblin, Vicki Johnson, Shaun Kirkpatrick, Diana Leonard, Mike Lynch, Jim McNally, Randy Rakers, and Pam Wiwel, all of whom assisted me with my DePuy project. Reference librarian Ginny Shope of the U.S. Army War College Library helped me in this project and in many others. Special thanks to Reg Shrader, who listened to my scheming and false starts from beginning to end, and to Ken Robertson, Bill Gole, and Lydia Gole, who gave advice when I sought it and read some ugly early drafting. Thanks to sharp-eyed editor Tom Bowers and reliable cornerman Roger Cirillo, both of whom have had a hand in shaping The Road to Rainbow (2003), Soldiering (2005), and the current DePuy biography. Tony Nadal facilitated access to valuable human sources. Bob Sorley was generous in his general support and in sharing with me specific sources he uncovered in his always scrupulous research. Mac Coffman, Allan Millett, Roger Spiller, and Rick Swain—historians I admire—took time from their own work to read and comment on my work, and they improved it. In interviews and discussions, Paul Gorman, Paul Miles, Lloyd Matthews, Rick Brown, Rick Swain, John Stewart, and Bill DePuy Jr. did more than provide essential information; they also asked questions that I needed to answer to put raw information in perspective. I am grateful for the willing cooperation and support of the busy people named. Steve Wrinn and the staff of the University Press of Kentucky were orderly, efficient, and kind, making the experience of addressing a series of little issues pleasant rather than overwhelming. I acknowledge my respect for and gratitude to Donna Bouvier, my first-rate copyeditor. Her love of our language and her ability to represent the general reader made my book better. viii Acknowledgments ...