Each year, roughly 50,000 young men join the ranks of one of America’s most honored groups: the Eagle Scouts.

Alvin Townley set off across the nation to hear the stories of Eagles from all walks of life, including civil rights leaders, soldiers, politicians, businessmen, and conservationists who began their life’s journey in Scouting and went on to play a key role in American history. Townley shows how the experiences of youth guided the paths these Eagles followed as adults and defined the common virtues that have shaped our nation.

Legacy of Honor is a celebration of the remarkable men that have established a universally renowned image and created a lasting legacy that Scouts past and present can look to for inspiration. This 10th-anniversary edition will include a new introduction by the author and a new foreword by Robert M. Gates.