W.E.B. Griffin is the pen name of William Edmund Butterworth III, a prominent American author known for his military and detective novels. He was born on November 10, 1929, and grew up in the cities of New York and Philadelphia. Griffin's novels have gained significant popularity, with more than fifty million copies in print, translated into over ten languages including Hebrew, Chinese, Japanese, and Hungarian.
Before gaining recognition as W.E.B. Griffin in the eighties, he was already a prolific writer under several different pen names. His works are predominantly featured in series such as The Brotherhood of War, The Corps, Men at War, Badge of Honor, Honor Bound, and The Presidential Agent series. Griffin's novels are highly regarded for their historical accuracy, with fierce and unyielding scenes, as praised by The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Griffin's personal experiences have greatly influenced his writing. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1946, undergoing basic training and counterintelligence training at Fort Holabird, Maryland. He served in the Army of Occupation in Germany and was assigned to the staff of then-Major General I.D. White, commander of the U.S. Constabulary. In 1951, he was recalled to active duty for the Korean War, where he earned the Combat Infantry Badge as a combat correspondent and later served as acting X Corps (Group) information officer under Lieutenant General White. After his military service, he became the Chief of the Publications Division of the U.S. Army Signal Aviation Test & Support Activity at Fort Rucker, Alabama.
Griffin's honors and awards are numerous, including the Brigadier General Robert L. Dening Memorial Distinguished Service Award of the U.S. Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association and the Veterans of Foreign Wars News Media Award. He has been vested into the Order of St. George of the U.S. Armor Association and the Order of St. Andrew of the U.S. Army Aviation Association, and has been awarded Honorary Doctoral degrees by Norwich University and Troy State University (Ala.). Griffin is also a co-founder of the William E. Colby Seminar on Intelligence, Military, and Diplomatic Affairs. He divides his time between the Gulf Coast and Buenos Aires.