William J. Welch is a retired instructor of intelligence analysis at Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pennsylvania. Prior to that he had spent 29 years as a newspaper journalist. During his two careers he interviewed dozens of veterans of the two world wars and the Korean Conflict. He recently collaborated with four others to produce a book titled “Answering the Call: Erie County, Pennsylvania in World War One.” He currently serves as director of the World War Two Memorial in Erie, Pennsylvania.