John Robert Jones, who wrote science fiction under the name John Dalmas, was born on December 3, 1926, in the United States. He grew up in Michigan and Minnesota, and later in life, he moved with his wife Gail, their daughter, and one grandson to Spokane, Washington, in 1985. Dalmas passed away on June 15, 2017.
Throughout his career, Dalmas was known for writing many books based on military and governmental themes. His experiences and jobs provided him with a wealth of knowledge that he was able to draw upon in his writing. Before becoming an author, Dalmas served as a parachute infantryman in World War II and was discharged in 1946 without ever being put in serious harm's way. After his military service, he worked in various fields, including as a longshoreman, merchant seaman, logger, construction worker, and smokejumper. Dalmas also attended Michigan State University, where he majored in forestry but also took creative writing courses.