Patrick K. O'Donnell

Patrick K. O'Donnell
Occupation Military historian
Nationality American
Period 1999–present
Genre Military history
Notable works The Unknowns, Washington's Immortals, First SEALs, The Brenner Assignment, We Were One, Beyond Valour, Operatives, Spies and Saboteurs, Dog Company
Website
www.patrickkodonnell.com

Patrick K. O’Donnell is a best-selling American author who has written eleven books on military history. His most recent book is The Unknowns: The Untold Story of America's Unknown Soldier and WWI's Most Decorated Heroes Who Brought Him Home.

He received the Colby Circle Award for Outstanding Military History for his best-selling book, Beyond Valour. His other works include Washington's Immortals: The Untold Story of an Elite Regiment Who Changed the Course of the Revolution;First SEALs: The Untold Story of the Forging of America's Most Elite Unit;Into the Rising Sun; Operatives, Spies, and Saboteurs; We Were One: Shoulder to Shoulder With the Marines Who Took Fallujah; The Brenner Assignment: The Untold Story of the Most Daring Spy Mission of WWII; They Dared Return; Give Me Tomorrow: The Korean War’s Greatest Untold Story – The Epic Stand Of The Marines Of George Company; and Dog Company: Boys of Pointe Du Hoc Rangers Who Landed at D-Day and Fought Across Europe.

The Wall Street Journal has heralded O'Donnell's work as "combat writing at its best." Clive Cussler called him "a great American writer," and the U.S. Army Military Review named him "one of the world' preeminent military historians."

The Unknowns

O'Donnell's most recent book, The Unknowns: The Untold Story of America's Unknown Soldier and WWI's Most Decorated Heroes Who Brought Him Home, released in May 2018, tells the powerful story behind the creation of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It details of the war experiences of The Body Bearers who laid the Unknown Soldier to rest, and through their gripping tales recounts the larger story of America's involvement in the Great War. Selected by General Pershing for their heroism, the Body Bearers spanned the U.S. military service branches involved in the war and fought in some of the conflict's most brutal and deadly battles.

Reviews for The Unknowns included the following:

  • “With exhaustive research and fluid prose, Mr. O’Donnell relates both the history of the Unknown Soldier and the story of America’s part in World War I through these soldiers’ experiences. The rich color of their singular narratives―and the broad history they reveal―affirm the wisdom, nearly a century later, of Pershing’s selection . . . By revealing the stories of those whose names and deeds we do know, The Unknowns prods our consciences to heap fresh honor upon the Unknown Soldier of World War I, renewing his station as the mortal embodiment of every American who has fallen on a battlefield far from home.”―Matthew J. Davenport, Wall Street Journal
  • “A gripping read about a war that many Americans know little about . . . Few authors have the same kind of enthusiasm and gusto that O’Donnell brings to his topic. His gift is taking the reader from the map room to the battlefield. It’s an exciting, often harrowing, trip worth taking.”―Ray Locker, USA Today
  • “A gripping story told by Mr. O’Donnell, who is emerging as one of the best military historians of his generation . . . These pages capture the horrifying nature of warfare, and Mr. O’Donnell’s descriptions catch the raw bravery that can emerge from men thrust into combat.”―Joseph C. Goulden, Washington Times
  • “Acclaimed military historian O’Donnell brings to life America’s involvement in the Great War through the stories of eight body bearers for an unidentified fallen soldier . . . O’Donnell does his subject justice, beginning with the book’s inspiration, his giving Marines a tour of the battlefields in France . . . A thrilling title for readers interested in WWI, and an excellent primer for understanding the full significance of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.”―Booklist
  • “The Unknowns is a great book on the topic that surrounds the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from the First World War. It’s also a good single volume work on the American Expeditionary Force’s involvement and experiences in the First World War . . . Engaging, informative, detailed, exciting, respectful, and at a patriotic level, unifying.”―David Retherford, Strategy Bridge
  • “Many of the topics on which [O’Donnell] writes involve the story behind the story . . . With the centennial of America’s participation in World War I ongoing, this is a highly relevant publication . . . Conveys the reverence and honor which is deserved from the citizens of this nation to all of those who go in harm’s way to protect us and guarantee our rights and freedoms.”―New York Journal of Books
  • “A thrilling title for readers interested in WWI, and an excellent primer for understanding the full significance of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.”―James Pekoll, Booklist
  • “The author is an expert at providing background information and narrating the chaotic flow of war. . . . O'Donnell has succeeded admirably in conveying that we need heroes as much as we need reminders of war.”―David Keymer, Library Journal
  • “The Unknowns is a dramatic and compassionately written book by one of our finest military historians who has few equals as a great storyteller. Patrick K. O’Donnell’s superb tale of World War I and the exceptional valor of the eight men later chosen to escort the Unknown Soldier from France to America’s most hallowed place of honor in Arlington National Cemetery is not only a tribute to those who fought and sacrificed so much but also a vivid and timely reminder of the terrible cost of war.”―Carlo D’Este, author of Patton, A Genius for War and Eisenhower, A Soldier’s Life
  • “This unknown story of extraordinary sacrifice and heroism is a powerful and timely tribute to the Americans who fought a century ago in the First World War. Superb history brilliantly told.”―Alex Kershaw, author of The Longest Winter
  • “The Unknowns is not only the story of the Unknown Soldier but that of the unknown comrades who carried him there. Their stories of courage in deadly combat are finally made known to the rest of us in searing detail.”―Glenn F. Williams, PhD, U.S. Army Center of Military History
  • “Brilliant in conception and style, The Unknowns presents the awe-inspiring and profoundly moving story of The Great War from the viewpoint of the men who fought, sacrificed and bled to win it. A ‘must read,’ an incredible story related by a master storyteller!”―James Lacey, author of Pershing and the forthcoming The Washington War, director of USMC University
  • “Very few historians can bring our military past to life like Patrick O’Donnell. The Unknowns shines new and welcome light on the ‘forgotten generation’ of Americans who fought World War One. Throughout these well written, absorbing, moving pages, we come to know the doughboys and sailors of the Great War like never before. Read this book and you will never think of the Unknown Soldier the same way again.”―John C. McManus, Ph.D., author of The Dead and Those About to Die and Deadly Sky
  • “Highly readable and extremely interesting, The Unknowns is more than just an account about the American servicemen who escorted the Unknown Soldier, it also encompasses the story of American involvement and the sacrifice of young Americans in the Great War. It is a masterful tour de force of that by-gone era.”―Col. Richard Camp, author of The Devil Dogs at Belleau Wood: U.S. Marines in World War I
  • “The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, it’s as hallowed as ground can get. But what’s the story of the hero inside? A breakthrough book with a crackling narrative, The Unknowns reveals how the first unknown soldier came home from World War I, a journey born in the shell holes and on the high seas of one of humanity’s ghastliest wars. Prepare to discover an iconic American saga long hidden in plain sight.”―Adam Makos, New York Times bestselling author of A Higher Call
  • “A captivating, inspiring narrative by a combat veteran and skilled writer of how the Unknown Soldier arrived at his resting place as the symbol of national the sacrifice and devotion to duty. Bravo!”―Bing West, author of One Million Steps: A Marine Platoon at War
  • The Unknowns “follows eight men through the horrors of war. It is their actions that ultimately resulted in them receiving the highest honor from their superiors: to bring home a fallen comrade that gave not only his life for his country, but also his identity. The true supreme sacrifice.”―Kevin V. Walker, Society of the Honor Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Vice President
  • “These pages capture the horrifying nature of warfare, and Mr. O’Donnell’s descriptions catch the raw bravery that can emerge from men thrust into combat.”―The Washington Times

Awards & Recognition

O'Donnell's books have been chosen as Main or Alternate selections of the Book-of-the-Month, History, and Military History Book Clubs. In 2012, the OSS Society presented O'Donnell with the John Waller Award, which recognizes achievement in scholarship related to intelligence and special operations history. O'Donnell's book We Were One was chosen for the Commandant's Professional Reading List and is required reading for Marines. He has appeared on numerous television programs including some on C-SPAN and the History Channel. He has also appeared on hundreds of radio shows.

His book, Washington's Immortals, was selected as an Amazon Best Book of the Year So Far (History) and was named of the 100 Best American Revolution Books of All Time by the Journal of the American Revolution. Reviews for Washington's Immortals included the following:

  • “What makes Washington’s Immortals different from most Revolutionary War accounts is its seamless blend of tactical acumen and human drama . . . O’Donnell admirably blends a story of ardent farmers, merchants and mariners with a combat story of sharp, bloody engagements . . . [He] makes fluid use of letters, diaries, pension affidavits and early histories to bring home the carnage of war as the foot soldier saw it . . . Washington’s Immortals is an example of combat writing at its best.”—Wall Street Journal
  • “A powerful narrative . . . a must-read for those with deep or casual interest in the American Revolution.”—Journal of the American Revolution
  • “Well-written, and superbly researched . . . [A] compelling story of the Maryland Regiment . . . Intimate and often inspiring . . . O’Donnell is at the top of his game . . . A must-read for Revolutionary War and Maryland history buffs alike.”—Baltimore Post-Examiner
  • “O’Donnell writes about war from the soldiers’ weary, battle-scarred perspective . . . At the same time, he describes and analyzes the strategic and tactical elements of battle with an even-handed regard to the wisdom and errors on each side . . . Through his vivid prose, we smell the sulfur in the gunsmoke and hear the fierce and often final cries of the combatants . . . Reveal[s] an important and little-known part of the sprawling history of the Revolution.”—Daughters of the American Revolution
  • “O’Donnell deploys a fusillade of fact and fresh research in a Revolutionary War history rich in irony and event . . . Readers will admire O’Donnell’s exhaustive research, skilled organization of the material, and the high readability of the writing . . . With a firm grasp of tactics, strategy, and the sociopolitical landscape, O’Donnell captures the horror and absurdities of the war better than most.”—Kirkus Reviews
  • “Using primary sources from both sides of the Atlantic, O’Donnell effectively traces the story of Maryland’s immortals, describing their battles authentically along with the precariousness of the American cause. This book will be of interest to both general readers and scholars interested in the military aspects of the American Revolution.”—Library Journal
  • “O’Donnell . . . [spent] five years researching the Marylanders’ exploits, visiting every battlefield where they fought from New York to South Carolina and combing through archives in the U.S. and Britain. What he learned prompted him to dub those patriots America’s original band of brothers, men who continued the fight despite overwhelming odds and constant lack of food, clothing and equipment.”—Associated Press
  • “Washington’s Immortals tells the extraordinary story of the most important band of brothers, forgotten men who changed the course of American history. This is O’Donnell at his very best—a deeply moving, superbly researched page turner.”—Alex Kershaw,New York Times bestselling author of The Bedford Boys and The Longest Winter
  • “Patrick O’Donnell is blessed with a rare gift for storytelling and a keen empathy for the realities of soldiers in combat. He walks in the footsteps of his subjects like few other historians are able—or willing—to do. In this impressively researched, well written book, he brings the world of the American Revolution to life with an immediacy that almost defies belief. By focusing on one group of stalwart soldiers who sacrificed so much for the sake of their ideals, O’Donnell sheds important new light on the motivation and actions of America’s most effective revolutionaries. Washington’s Immortals is a must read for anyone even remotely interested in the American combat soldier, regardless of the era.”—John C. McManus, Curators’ Professor of US Military History, Missouri University of Science and Technology; author of The Dead and Those About to Die, D-Day: The Big Red One at Omaha Beach, and Grunts: Inside the American Infantry Combat Experience
  • “Patrick O’Donnelll has written what portends to be the definitive history of the famous Revolutionary War era ‘Maryland Line.’ Long considered by historians as George Washington’s Continental Army shock troops, O’Donnell tells a thoroughly entertaining and highly readable story. From Brooklyn Heights to Yorktown, O’Donnell clearly shows why this particular band of brothers earned the title of Washington’s Immortals.”—Charles P. Neimeyer, Ph.D., Director and Chief of Marine Corps History, Marine Corps University, Quantico, Virginia

Writing career

As an unpaid, volunteer combat historian, O’Donnell spent three months in Iraq in uniform and conducted oral histories of U.S. troops in battle. On a later tour to Iraq, he also served as a war correspondent for Men's Journal and Fox News. His writing has also appeared in Military History Quarterly (MHQ), World War II Magazine, and a number of well-known blogs.

As an expert on World War II espionage, special operations, and counter-insurgency, O'Donnell has provided historical consulting for DreamWorks’ award-winning miniseries Band of Brothers, and for scores of documentaries produced by the BBC, the History Channel, and Fox News.[1] His book They Dared Return was the basis for the independent documentary The Real Inglorious Bastards. He also served as a consultant for the Medal of Honor game franchise.[1]

O'Donnell is represented by William Morris Endeavor (WME) for film, television, and literary rights.

Personal life

O’Donnell is also the founder of the Drop Zone, a website and virtual community for combat veterans and the interested public. It includes more than 4,000 oral history interviews he has personally conducted with American veterans of wars from World War I to Iraq and Afghanistan.

He is native of Westlake, Ohio, and attended American University for his undergraduate studies and Johns Hopkins for his graduate work.[1]

O'Donnell is represented by William Morris Endeavor (WME).

Bibliography

  • Beyond Valor: World War II's Ranger and Airborne veterans reveal the heart of combat, 2001. ISBN 9780684873848 which won the Colby Circle Award for Outstanding Military History.
  • Into the Rising Sun: in their own words, World War II's Pacific veterans reveal the heart of combat, 2002. ISBN 9780743214803
  • Operatives, Spies, and Saboteurs: the unknown story of the men and women of World War II's OSS, 2004. ISBN 9780743235723
  • We Were One: Shoulder to Shoulder With the Marines Who Took Fallujah, 2007. ISBN 9780306815737
  • The Brenner Assignment: The Untold Story of The Daring Spy Mission of WWII, 2008. ISBN 9780306815775
  • They Dared Return: the true story of Jewish spies behind the line in Nazi Germany, 2009. ISBN 9780306818004
  • Give Me Tomorrow: The Korean War’s Greatest Untold Story – The Epic Stand Of The Marines Of George Company, 2010. ISBN 9780306818011
  • Dog Company: Boys of Pointe Du Hoc Rangers Who Landed at D-Day and Fought Across Europe, 2012. ISBN 9780306820298
  • First SEALs: The Untold Story of the Forging of America's Most Elite Unit, DaCapo, 2014. ISBN 9780306821721
  • Washington's Immortals: The Untold Story of an Elite Regiment Who Changed the Course of the Revolution, Atlantic Monthly Press, 2016. ISBN 0802124593
  • The Unknowns: The Untold Story of America’s Unknown Soldier and WWI’s Most Decorated Heroes Who Brought Him Home , Atlantic Monthly Press, 2018 ISBN 9780802128331

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Patrick O'Donnell". Retrieved on 2018-18-04
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.