Father Duffy’s Story: A Tale of Humor and Heroism, of Life and Death with the Fighting Sixty-Ninth

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Father Francis Duffy, U. S. Army chaplain during World War One, recalls his time fighting alongside the famous 69th Infantry Regiment on the western front.

Comprised mostly of Irish Catholic volunteers who enlisted in and around New York City, the ‘Fighting Sixty-Ninth’ already had a long history and a reputation for bravery and grit. Father Duffy is frank and upfront, recalling the conversations and mood of his fellow troops during their training and deployment to Europe. The bloodiness and terror of battles in World War I is related, as are the many injuries and horrors of that war.

Despite the grim situation, Father Duffy never loses his spirit. Indeed, the adversity faced by the young men in the 69th gave opportunity for them to show their courage and great capacity for morale. The witty humor and can-do attitude of the Irish is also amply displayed, this liveliness countering the darker aspects of war. Each of the major battles and offensives undertaken by the 69th is told from a first-hand perspective, with participating troops named and credited for their valor.

This reprint of Duffy’s memoirs includes the twelve photographs and map illustrations appended to the first edition. Depicting the battles, troops and their commanding officers, these pictures constitute a helpful supplement to the text.