Local, Gulf War Veteran Honors Grandfather’s Legacy in New Book
“The Great War Through a Doughboy’s Eyes” by Gregory S. Valloch MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla.– “The Great War Through a Doughboy’s Eyes” was released on March 23, 2022 and chronicles the service of Corporal Howard P. Claypoole, told through the lens of his grandson and Miramar Beach local, Gregory S. Valloch. Corporal Howard P. Claypoole served in the U.S. Army during WWI and was awarded The Purple Heart posthumously. Like his grandfather, Colonel Gregory S. Valloch also served in the military and is a U.S. Army veteran who honorably served during the Gulf War. Since then, Valloch has become a Destin local and has owned the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream shop, located in The Market Shops, since 2016 and has been named as the “Best Dessert” by the readers of VIP Destin Magazine in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2022. He is a member of the Destin and Walton Area Chambers of Commerce as well as the American Legion Post 96. Valloch credits his grandfather’s bravery and conviction as the source of his motivation to earn a commission in the Army. When Valloch came across his grandfather’s wartime diaries, correspondence, and artifacts, he saw that it was only fitting he share his grandfather’s legacy with the world. In “The Great War Through a Doughboy’s Eyes”, Valloch offers a unique account of his grandfather’s service during WWI, illustrating the hardships of soldiers at war. Utilizing his grandfather’s diary entries, postcards, letters, wound order, newspaper clippings, military history, and discharge papers, Valloch tells...
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