Dan Cragg
Encyclopedia
Dan Cragg is an American soldier, essayist, and science-fiction author.
During his tour of duty in the US Army received, among other awards the Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal
and the Vietnam Service Medal
, with eleven campaign stars.
Journalism: OpEd pieces, "The Washington Times," "The Wall Street Journal," "The Army Times," "Army Magazine," and many other journals; over 100 book reviews for "The Washington Times" newspaper.
Biography
He is the son of James Wilson and Gertrude (née Finucane) Cragg and was married to the late Sun P. (née Yi) (Seoul, Korea, March 28, 1974). They have one child, a son, named Tam Le, first sergeant, USMCR & currently a police officer, Prince George's County, MD; two grandchildren, Thomas and Heather. Mrs. Cragg died on April 14, 2009 after a lingering illness.Education
- University of Maryland College Park — B.A. (summa cum laude) (1982)
- Graduate study at George Mason UniversityGeorge Mason UniversityGeorge Mason University is a public university based in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, south of and adjacent to the city of Fairfax. Additional campuses are located nearby in Arlington County, Prince William County, and Loudoun County...
(1983)
Memberships
- Company Military Historians
- National Rifle AssociationNational Rifle AssociationThe National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
- Arlington Historical Society
- Fairfax Historical Society
- Rochester Historical Society
Military career
Served in the United States Army from 1958 to 1980, retiring with the rank of Sergeant Major. He served two tours of duty in Vietnam, 1962–63 and 1965-69 as well as tours of duty in Germany, Italy, and South Korea. From 1985-2003, worked in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Washington, DC as a management analyst; member, Fairfax County History Commission, 1997–2003; auxiliary police officer, Fairfax County PD, 1996-2002.During his tour of duty in the US Army received, among other awards the Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal
Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal
The Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal was a decoration of South Vietnam that was first created in 1953. The medal was issued in two grades and reached its height of bestowals during the years of the Vietnam War...
and the Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
The Vietnam Service Medal is a military award which was created in 1965 by order of President Lyndon B. Johnson. The distinctive design was the creation of sculptor Thomas Hudson Jones, a former employee of the Army Institute of Heraldry. The medal is issued to recognize military service during...
, with eleven campaign stars.
Non-fiction
- The NCO Guide, Stackpole (Harrisburg, PA), 1982, 3rd edition (with Dennis D. Perez), 1989.
- A Travel Guide to Military Installations, Stackpole, 1983, 2nd edition published as A Guide to Military Installations, 1988, 5th edition, 1996.
- A Dictionary of Soldier Talk, Scribner (New York City), 1984 (with John Elting and Ernest Deal) .
- Inside the VC and NVA: The Real Story of North Vietnam's Armed Forces, Ballantine, 1992 (with Michael Lee Lanning) .
- Top Sergeant: The Life and Times of Sergeant Major of the Army William G. BainbridgeTop Sergeant (Autobiography)Top Sergeant: The Life and Times of Sergeant Major of the Army William G. Bainbridge is the autobiography of William G. Bainbridge, the fifth man to serve as Sergeant Major of the Army. This memoir was co-authored by Dan Cragg, also a retired Sergeant Major. It was published in 1992 by...
, Ballantine, 1992 (with William G. BainbridgeWilliam G. BainbridgeWilliam G. Bainbridge was the fifth Sergeant Major of the Army, was sworn in on July 1, 1975 and served until June, 1979. He was born in Galesburg, Illinois, on April 17, 1925 and died on November 29, 2008....
). - Generals in Muddy Boots: A Concise Encyclopedia of Combat Commanders, Berkley Publishing (New York City), 1996 (with Walter J. BoyneWalter J. BoyneWalter J. Boyne is a retired United States Air Force officer, combat veteran, aviation historian, and author of more than 50 books and over 1,000 magazine articles...
).
Journalism: OpEd pieces, "The Washington Times," "The Wall Street Journal," "The Army Times," "Army Magazine," and many other journals; over 100 book reviews for "The Washington Times" newspaper.
As editor
as D. J. CRAGG- Francis Grose, The Mirror's File: Advice to the Officers of the British Army, with a Biographical Sketch of the Life and a Bibliography of the Works of Captain Francis Grose, F.S.A., Owlswick, 1978 (also wrote introduction).
- Guardians of the Republic (A History of the non-commissioned officer corps of the U.S. Army), Random House (New York City), 1992.
- Operation Thirty-Four Alpha (history of U.S.-controlled commando operations in North Vietnam), Ballantine, 1992.
The StarFist Saga (with David Sherman)
- First to Fight, (1997)
- School of FireSchool of FireThe second novel of the military science fiction StarFist Saga, written by David Sherman and Dan Cragg. In this installment, the men of 34th FIST , are deployed to help the rulers of Wanderjahr put down a rebellion that threatens the planet's political and economic stability...
, (1998) - Steel GauntletSteel GauntletSteel Gauntlet is the third novel of the military science fiction StarFist Saga, written by David Sherman and Dan Cragg.In Steel Gauntlet, St. Cyr, a maniacal sadist who has reinvented the doctrine of armored warfare has taken control of the planet Diamunde, and 34th FIST is deployed as part of a...
, (1999) - Blood ContactBlood ContactBlood Contact is the fourth novel of the military science fiction StarFist Saga, written by David Sherman and Dan Cragg. This book in the series follows Gunnery Sergeant Bass and the rest of 3rd Platoon, Company L, 34th FIST as they investigate a missing scientific team on the planet Society 437...
, (1999) - TechnoKillTechnoKillTechnoKill is the fifth novel of the military science fiction StarFist Saga, written by David Sherman and Dan Cragg. This book in the series once again follows 3rd Platoon, Company L, 34th FIST under Gunnery Sergeant Bass. This time they head to an alien planet to hatch open a nefarious conspiracy...
, (2000) - HangfireHangfireHangfire is the sixth novel of the military science fiction StarFist Saga, written by David Sherman and Dan Cragg. This installment of Starfist contains three significant and independent plots, one involving members of third platoon, Company L, and the second involves Brigadier Sturgeon, the FIST...
, (2000) - Kingdom's SwordsKingdom's SwordsThis is the seventh novel of the military science fiction StarFist Saga, written by David Sherman and Dan Cragg.-Overview:In the previous book, Hangfire, it was related that the Skinks have invaded the planet Kingdom...
, (2002) - Kingdom's FuryKingdom's FuryThe eighth novel of the military science fiction StarFist Saga, written by David Sherman and Dan Cragg.This is the second Starfist book taking place largely on the planet called Kingdom, a world with a crazy-quilt religious theocracy involving various flavors of Christians, Muslims, and others...
, (2003) - Lazarus RisingLazarus RisingLazarus Rising is the ninth novel of the military science fiction StarFist Saga, written by David Sherman and Dan Cragg.-Plot summary:This novel continues the situation on the planet Kingdom from the previous novel, Kingdom's Fury...
, (2003) - A World of HurtA World of HurtA World of Hurt, a science fiction novel by David Sherman and Dan Cragg, is the tenth novel in their StarFist series.A civilian analyst in the Confederation of Human Worlds' Development Control Division of the Department of Colonial Development, Population Control, and Xenobiological Studies...
, (2004) - FlashfireFlashfireFlashfire is a science fiction novel by David Sherman and Dan Cragg published in 2006. It is set in the 25th Century in Sherman and Cragg's StarFist series.-Plot summary:...
, (2006) - FirestormFirestorm (novel)Firestorm is a science fiction novel by David Sherman and Dan Cragg. It is set in the 25th Century in Sherman and Cragg's StarFist saga. "Firestorm more concludes the Ravenette campaign for the 34th fist and the Force Recon .-Reception:Publishers Weekly in their review said...
, (2007) - Wings of HellWings of HellWings of Hell is a science fiction novel by David Sherman and Dan Cragg; it was released on December 30, 2008. It is set in the 25th Century in Sherman and Cragg's StarFist Saga....
, (2008) - Double Jeopardy, (2009)
The StarFirst: Force Recon Saga (with David Sherman)
- BackshotBackshot (novel)Backshot is a science fiction novel by David Sherman and Dan Cragg. It is set in the 25th Century and is the first book in Sherman and Cragg's StarFist: Force Recon series. It was released on July 26, 2005....
, (2005) - PointBlankPointBlank (novel)Pointblank is a science fiction novel by David Sherman and Dan Cragg. It is set in the 25th Century in Sherman and Cragg's StarFist: Force Recon series. Pointblank is the second book in the series after Backshot. It was published on August 29, 2006....
, 2006 - Recoil, 2008