Anton Myrer
Encyclopedia
Anton Olmstead Myrer was an American
author, known best for writing the historical fiction military novel Once An Eagle
(1968).
,on November 3, 1922, to Raymond Lewis and Angele E. Myrer, he grew up in Boston
, graduating from Boston Latin High School
in 1940. He prepared at Phillips Exeter Academy
in New Hampshire
before entering Harvard College
in September 1941 with the Class of 1945. His studies were interrupted, however, after the December 7, 1941 Attack on Pearl Harbor
. Soon after the attack, he, like many of his college peers, sought to enroll in the Army Reserve
but was rejected. In 1942, he enlisted and was accepted by the United States Marine Corps
. He participated in the Battle of Guam and the occupation of the remaining Mariana Islands
afterwards. He was wounded in Guam and was promoted to the rank of corporal before being discharged in 1946.
In August 1947, he married artist Judith Rothschild and relocated to California. Random House published his first novel Evil Under the Sun
in 1951. To support his family, he continued to work a number of low-paying, unskilled jobs. In 1957, his novel The Big War
, published by Appleton-Century-Crofts, was financially and critically successful, resulting in the 1958 film screenplay he wrote with Edward Anhalt
re-titled In Love and War
, starring Robert Wagner
and Bradford Dillman
.
In 1960, the Myrers moved back to the Northeast to a country home in Saugerties, NY, and a summer home on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Little, Brown published The Violent Shore (1962) and The Intruder (1965).
Myrer’s most successful novel, Once An Eagle
, was published in 1968 by Holt, Rinehart and Winston, during the Vietnam War.
He separated from his wife and divorced her in 1970. Soon afterward he married Patricia Schartle (May 21, 1923-June 26, 2010).
He wrote three more novels: The Tiger Waits (1973 published by Norton); The Last Convertible (1978 published by Putnam); and A Green Desire in (1981 also published by Putnam).
Anton Myrer died on January 19, 1996, of leukemia
, at the age of 73. He was survived by his widow.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author, known best for writing the historical fiction military novel Once An Eagle
Once An Eagle
Once an Eagle is a war novel by American author Anton Myrer. A #1 New York Times Bestseller, Once an Eagle has been a favorite of American military men and women since its writing. The novel tells the story of Sam Damon, career Army officer, from his initial enlistment to his rise to general...
(1968).
Early years and military service
Born in Worcester, MassachusettsWorcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
,on November 3, 1922, to Raymond Lewis and Angele E. Myrer, he grew up in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, graduating from Boston Latin High School
Boston Latin School
The Boston Latin School is a public exam school founded on April 23, 1635, in Boston, Massachusetts. It is both the first public school and oldest existing school in the United States....
in 1940. He prepared at Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy is a private secondary school located in Exeter, New Hampshire, in the United States.Exeter is noted for its application of Harkness education, a system based on a conference format of teacher and student interaction, similar to the Socratic method of learning through asking...
in New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
before entering Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
in September 1941 with the Class of 1945. His studies were interrupted, however, after the December 7, 1941 Attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
. Soon after the attack, he, like many of his college peers, sought to enroll in the Army Reserve
United States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....
but was rejected. In 1942, he enlisted and was accepted by the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
. He participated in the Battle of Guam and the occupation of the remaining Mariana Islands
Mariana Islands
The Mariana Islands are an arc-shaped archipelago made up by the summits of 15 volcanic mountains in the north-western Pacific Ocean between the 12th and 21st parallels north and along the 145th meridian east...
afterwards. He was wounded in Guam and was promoted to the rank of corporal before being discharged in 1946.
Education, marriage, and writing
He returned to Harvard and graduated magna cum laude with an A.B. two years after his original classmates in May 1947.In August 1947, he married artist Judith Rothschild and relocated to California. Random House published his first novel Evil Under the Sun
Evil Under the Sun
Evil Under the Sun is a work of detective fiction by Agatha Christie and first published in the UK by the Collins Crime Club in June 1941 and in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company in October of the same year...
in 1951. To support his family, he continued to work a number of low-paying, unskilled jobs. In 1957, his novel The Big War
The Big War
The Big War is the second novel of Anton Myrer, published by Appleton Century Crofts in 1957. While Myrer is best known for his 1968 novel Once an Eagle, this was his first commercial and critical success....
, published by Appleton-Century-Crofts, was financially and critically successful, resulting in the 1958 film screenplay he wrote with Edward Anhalt
Edward Anhalt
Edward Anhalt was a noted screenwriter, producer, and documentary film-maker. After working as a journalist and documentary filmmaker for Pathé and CBS-TV he teamed with his wife Edna Anhalt, née Richards, during World War II to write pulp fiction...
re-titled In Love and War
In Love and War (1958 film)
In Love and War is a 1958 Cinemascope film based on a novel called The Big War by Anton Myrer and directed by Philip Dunne.-Plot summary:The film traces the progress of three Marines on shore leave during WWII, in the Pacific...
, starring Robert Wagner
Robert Wagner
Robert John Wagner is an American actor of stage, screen, and television.A veteran of many films in the 1950s and 1960s, Wagner gained prominence in three American television series that spanned three decades: It Takes a Thief , Switch , and Hart to Hart...
and Bradford Dillman
Bradford Dillman
-Early life:Bradford Dillman was born on April 14, 1930 in San Francisco, California, the son of Josephine and Dean Dillman, a stockbroker. He studied at Town School for Boys and St. Ignatius High School. Later he attended the Hotchkiss boarding school in Connecticut, where he became involved in...
.
In 1960, the Myrers moved back to the Northeast to a country home in Saugerties, NY, and a summer home on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Little, Brown published The Violent Shore (1962) and The Intruder (1965).
Myrer’s most successful novel, Once An Eagle
Once An Eagle
Once an Eagle is a war novel by American author Anton Myrer. A #1 New York Times Bestseller, Once an Eagle has been a favorite of American military men and women since its writing. The novel tells the story of Sam Damon, career Army officer, from his initial enlistment to his rise to general...
, was published in 1968 by Holt, Rinehart and Winston, during the Vietnam War.
He separated from his wife and divorced her in 1970. Soon afterward he married Patricia Schartle (May 21, 1923-June 26, 2010).
He wrote three more novels: The Tiger Waits (1973 published by Norton); The Last Convertible (1978 published by Putnam); and A Green Desire in (1981 also published by Putnam).
Anton Myrer died on January 19, 1996, of leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
, at the age of 73. He was survived by his widow.