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by Joe Knetsch (Author), Pamela Gibson (Author)
A century ago, sparsely populated and largely rural Florida rallied as America plunged into World War I, her sacrifices and contributions celebrated here in full detail.
The proud USS Florida, too often mentioned as mere adjunct to the Atlantic Fleet, receives a just accounting, as does the utterly devastating loss of the USS Tampa, the highest death toll the navy suffered in the war. Sunshine State foresters served critical roles abroad, and local libraries became essential hubs for promoting rationing and reporting news from overseas. Floridian aid workers and soldiers training for departure were stricken with the Spanish Flu, a pandemic that shook the globe with force equal to the war itself. Authors Joe Knetsch and Pamela Gibson provide a necessary and thorough chronicle of Florida in the Great War.
Author Biography
Dr. Joe Knetsch is the author of more than two hundred articles and twelve books concerning Florida history. This is his sixth book for Arcadia/The History Press and covers an area in which he has a strong interest. He has been a constant reviewer of military history books for the Journal of America's Military Past and other professional journals. He holds a doctorate from Florida State University and was for twenty-eight years the historian for the Division of State Lands, Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Since his retirement, he has continued to research and publish history. He lives in Tallahassee with his wife, Linda, and their five cats. Pamela N. Gibson is a Florida and local history specialist, recently retired from the Manatee County Public Library System after over forty-three years of service. There, she was in charge of the Eaton Florida History Collection. She has her MA in history from the University of South Florida. She has published in Sunland Tribune, Tampa Bay History and Professional Surveyor, usually as coauthor with Dr. Joe Knetsch. Her research aid has been noted in the acknowledgements of a number of Florida history publications. She currently lives in Bradenton.
