In June 1942, just after the United States entered World War II, the following passage appeared in Arizona Highways.

We would like sometime to tell the story of Arizona in this war and the part that Arizonans are playing in it, but alas! that may not ever be. Arizona boys are scattered to the four winds today, following Old Glory and the proud banners of the Army, Navy and the Marines Corps.

Arizonans have fought and died at Corregidor, Bataan, and in Java. They've sailed the Coral Sea and today you'll find them all the way from Alaska to Australia, from Ireland to Shangrila, from Panama to Pago Pago.

They'll give a good account of themselves, we promise you. They have in other wars and they'll do it in this. Two Arizonans, Lt. Frank Luke, Jr. and Captain Bucky O'Neill, of whom more is said within these pages, were among the great heroes of World War I and the Spanish-American War. So gallantry and distinguished service is not unusual among the boys and men from Arizona.

We may never be able to tell the story of these Arizonans — from Phoenix, Tucson, Miami, Kingman, Bisbee, Douglas, Flagstaff, Winslow and all the places big and little in our state — but if these pages should fall in any of their hands, wherever they be, we'd like for them to know they've been remembered and that we'd like to say "Howdy, pardner!"

— Raymond Carlson, Editor, Arizona Highways