Born in Berkeley Springs, W. Virginia. Novelist, story- and screenwriter for several war movies (alone or in collaboration): I WANTED WINGS (1941, also book), TWELVE O'CLOCK HIGH (1949, also co-authored novel), FLYING LEATHERNECKS (1951), ABOVE AND BEYOND (1952), STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND (1955), TOWARD THE UNKNOWN (1956, also assoc. producer), THE GALLANT HOURS (1960), THE YOUNG AND THE BRAVE (1963) and a 1964 episode of the TV series "Twelve O'Clock High."  Nominated for Writing (Motion Picture Story) 1953: ABOVE AND BEYOND  Nominated for Writing (Motion Picture Story) 1955: STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND 2 nominations