William L. Verdone joined the Hudson National Guard unit as a high school senior. As a corporal, he attended officer candidate school in Boston and graduated as a second lieutenant. He later held other leadership roles, such as tank platoon leader, and eventually became the 43rd captain of the Hudson National Guard unit. In 1986, he retired as a lieutenant colonel after 34 years of military service. Lewis Halprin has written about the Hudson area for many years, and this is his seventh Arcadia book. He enjoys helping the community learn about its outstanding figures and fascinating history.