#VeteranOfTheDay Arnold Stephen Hoke

Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Army Veteran Arnold Stephen Hoke.

After serving in the Iowa National Guard, Arnold joined the US Army in 1917. In 1971, he and his wife, Clara Hoke, sat down to record their memories of the Great War. These digitized recordings can be viewed as a part of the Veteran’s History Project with the Library of Congress.

Arnold served three enlistments with the Iowa National Guard and the U.S. Army from 1917 – 1922. He served with the 42^nd Infantry Division. His stations of duty included Creston, Iowa; Mexican border; France; Germany; Texas.

Like so many others, Arnold was thrust into trench warfare in France with little knowledge of what to expect, and initially without a weapon. He saw every major battle that the Army participated in during WWI, and his straightforward descriptions of the trenches, and the men lost, and the randomness of who lived and who died, are a timely reminder of the true cost of war.

We honor his service.

Nominate a Veteran for #VeteranOfTheDay

Do you want to light up the face of a special Veteran? Have you been wondering how to tell your Veteran they are special to you? You’re in luck! VA’s #VeteranOfTheDay social media feature is an opportunity to highlight your Veteran and his/her service.

It’s easy to nominate a Veteran. All it takes is an email to newmedia@va.gov with as much of the information as you can put together with some good photos. Visit our blog post about nominating for how to create the best submission.

Veterans History Project

This #VeteranOfTheDay profile was created with interviews submitted to the Veterans History Project. The project collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war Veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. Find out more at http://www.loc.gov/vets/.

Graphic created by Carl J. Valentino: Carl J. Valentino is a student at the University of Delaware with a Major in International Business and a Minor in Graphic Design.