  robert leckie (december 18, 1920 &ndash; december 24, 2001) was an american author of books on united states military history, fiction, autobiography and children's books. as a young man, he served in the marine corps with the 1st marine division during world war ii. his service as a machine gunner and a scout in the war greatly influenced his work. ==early life and career== leckie was born on december 18, 1920, in philadelphia, pennsylvania, to a family of eight children. he grew up in rutherford, new jersey. he began his career as a writer in high school, as a sports writer for the bergen evening record in hackensack, new jersey.leckie biography, all media guide. on january 18, 1942, leckie enlisted in the united states marine corps. he served in combat in the pacific theater, as a scout and a machine gunner in h company, 2nd battalion, 1st marine regiment, 1st marine division. leckie saw combat in the battle of guadalcanal, the battle of cape gloucester, and had been wounded by blast concussion in the battle of peleliu. due to his wounds, he was evacuated to an army field hospital on the pavuvu islands. he returned to the united states in march 1945 and was honorably discharged shortly thereafter.http://www.amazon.com/dp/0553593315 following world war ii, leckie worked as a reporter for the associated press, the buffalo courier-express, the new york journal american, the new york daily news and the star-ledger. he married vera keller, a childhood neighbor, and they had three children: david, geoff and joan.http://www.awesomestories.com/assets/robert-leckie according to vera, in 1951 he was inspired t
1920_births 2001_deaths American_military_historians American_military_personnel_of_World_War_II American_people_of_Irish_descent Historians_of_the_American_Civil_War Korean_War_historians People_from_Rutherford,_New_Jersey Recipients_of_the_Purple_Heart_medal United_States_Marines World_War_II_historians