The Flora family appeared deeply entrenched in the Brethren faith, tracing their ties to the Brethren tradition back to the mid-1700s. The Brethren movement has a long-standing historical dedication to pacifism and nonresistance, with the Old German Baptist Brethren consistently maintaining the belief that Christians should refrain from all forms of violence and military service. Noah Flora urged three of his sons-Harvey, Carl, and Donald-to pursue noncombat positions with the U.S. Army during World War II, as they were not eligible for exemptions and chose not to pursue alternative service options.
