On this very day 100 years ago, the United States made the grave decision to enter a conflict that had brought devastation to Europe for the previous three years. Among the many Americans who joined the front lines was a young reporter from The Kansas City Star: Ernest Hemingway. In 1918, Hemingway was wounded on the battlefields of Italy, an experience that inspired one of his most fascinating novels, “A Farewell to Arms.”

The Great War claimed countless American lives. Many more met the same fate during World War II on the shores of Italy, on the Italian mountain ranges and in other European countries. We owe these young Americans, many of whom hailed from Missouri and Kansas, an immense debt of gratitude.