Though they did not meet until years later, Clara and Arnold Hoke were both intimately familiar with the horrors of World War I. Arnold fought with the 42nd Infantry Division, known as the “Rainbow Division,” and weathered five major battles while spending three months in the trenches of France. After joining the Army Nurse Corps, Clara was initially assigned to stateside duty but pushed for a transfer overseas, and cared for patients in field hospitals as well as in Paris. According to a biography written by their grand-daughter, Patricia Munson-Siter, they met at an American Legion convention in 1921 and were married in 1922. Military service is very much a part of the Hoke family story: in addition to their service, Arnold’s brother also fought in World War I, and Clara and Arnold’s son went on to serve in World War II.