Al Capone's oldest brother, James Vincenzo Capone, left his home in Brooklyn at the age of 16 in 1908. Always a strong-minded and independent boy, he wanted to escape the crowded city and go west where the prospects were better. Strong and muscular, anxious for adventure and wide open spaces, he joined the circus and traveled all over the Midwest. For the first time, he was exposed to American Indians and became fascinated with their culture. He also became pretty good with a gun and when World War I broke out, he enlisted and was sent over to France with the American Expeditionary Force. He was an excellent marksman and a good soldier, who was promoted to the rank of lieutenant. He was the only one of that generation of Capone sons to fight in World War I. http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/gangsters_outlaws/mob_bosses/capone/hart_10.html
