David Sherman

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David Sherman

David Sherman is an American novelist who deals overwhelmingly with military themes at the small-unit tactical level. His experiences as a United States Marine during the Vietnam War show prominently in his work.

1 Biography
- 1.1 Education
2 Military Career
3 Writing career
4 Bibliography
- 4.1 Vietnam War
  - 4.1.1 The Night Fighter Saga
  - 4.1.2 Novels not part of a series
- 4.2 Science fiction
5 External links

[edit] Biography

Sherman was born in Niles, Ohio. He is fond of saying:

"I'm the second most famous person to ever come out of Niles, OH, the first being William McKinley."

Sherman grew up in Kansas, Texas, New Jersey and Omaha, Nebraska, from where he joined the United States Marine Corps soon after turning 18. While a Marine he served in the peace time infantry, a tour as a military policeman, and fought a war in Vietnam. After his departure from the U. S. Marine Corps he moved to Philadelphia where he studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. He had a brief stint as a sculptor, winning awards for his work. He began writing in 1983, and his first book, Knives in the Night, was published in 1987. Altogether, Sherman has published 23 novels, including 12 with his co-author, Dan Cragg.

After a long residence in Philadelphia, in 2004 he moved to southern Florida.

[edit] Education

Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

[edit] Military Career

David Sherman enlisted in the US Marine Corps directly out of high school. He went through Boot Camp at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, CA and Infantry Training Regiment at Camp San Onofre, a part of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, CA. He was promoted to Private First Class (PFC) prior to reporting to his first duty station, the First Marine Brigade at Marine Corps Air Station, Kaneohe Bay, Ohau, HI, where he was assigned to third platoon, Lima Company, Third Battalion, Fourth Marines. While there he was promoted to Lance Corporal and rose from basic rifleman to fire team leader. Following that tour in the peace time infantry, he served as a military policeman at MCAS Cherry Point, NC. His last tour of duty was in the Republic of Vietnam, where he first was a fire team leader in India Company, First Battalion, First Marines, then in a Combined Action Platoon at Hoa Bun hamlet, several miles from the Chu Lai Marine base. He was promoted to Corporal at the same time he joined the CAP. He was released from active duty on his return from Vietnam and honorably discharged upon completion of his six years combined active and reserve service. He holds the Combat Action Ribbon, several unit citations, both US and Vietnamese, the Good Conduct Medal, and service and campaign medals.

[edit] Writing career

[edit] Overview

Sherman says this of himself:

"I began my writing career writing novels about US Marines fighting the war in Vietnam (I was one and I did). Today I'm writing novels about Marines fighting wars centuries in the future and in a world that never existed. Seems I've been typecast."

[edit] Science fiction

[edit] Literary themes

Most of Sherman's fiction deals with military themes, in particular, military themes involving Marine enlisted men. His only novel that doesn't deal with this theme directly is his Star Wars universe novel (with Dan Cragg), Jedi Trial.