A Boy from Back Creek

Panama Canal and World War I

Three major events shaped the twentieth century:  building the Panama Canal, World War I, and World War II.  Dan Howe, from Back Creek and Radford, Virginia, was an active participant in two of these. 

As an engineer Dan Howe, VPI 1912, worked on the Panama Canal from 1912 to its completion in 1914.  In 1916 he was commissioned an officer in the United States Army.  Promoted to Captain in February 1918, he embarked for France in May 1918 where he fought with the American Expeditionary Force in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive until severely wounded in October 1918.

As in armed conflicts and most major civil projects, the decisions to launch these ventures are dictated by heads of state and politicians.  The actual fighting of wars and work on the ground for civic endeavors are achieved by private citizens whose opinions have not been sought.  Dan Howe was typical of many of those whose lives were shaped, changed or extinguished as a result of serving the country to carry out lofty goals.  

In World War I, most soldiers were the product of farms and small towns.  They were young men – many barely more than boys – often leaving home for the first time.  Dan Howe, having worked two years in Panama, had traveled farther than many others.  Nevertheless, like his fellow soldiers, his small-town ties to family and home were strong.  Dan was representative of all those who went to war. 

A Boy from Back Creek: Panama Canal and World War I is composed of primary material from the archives of Dan Howe.  This includes his photographs of the Panama Canal showing the locks under construction.  In addition, the book includes his diary from January 3, 1917 to June 14, 1918, the night he went into the trenches in France, as well as pictures taken in France and two articles he wrote for the Infantry Journal.

This book is a commemoration of every young man whose life was touched by war. 

I hope it will fill a meaningful place in your department.