Gail Chatfield’s father was a Marine on Bougainville, Guam and Iwo Jima; a favorite cousin was a Marine in Viet Nam. Her father never talked about the war to his daughter; the cousin wrote her lengthy, detailed letters. The two men fought different wars but shared the same Marine esprit de corps. Curious about what her father would have experienced in those island battles, Gail began attending the Iwo Jima veterans’ annual reunions at Camp Pendleton. Listening to the veterans’ stories of selfless heroism, unspeakable horror, battlefield humor and life-long Marine Corps values inspired her to preserve their personal narratives. Gail is a native of Southern California and received her Bachelor’s Degree from San Diego State University courtesy of the G.I. Bill.

A degree in Anthropology, the study of man and the role that culture exerts on individuals or groups, thoroughly prepared her for working in the exotic, fertile fields of the entertainment industry in Los Angeles. Positions at AFTRA, the William Morris Agency and for nearly a decade the personal assistant to Farrah Fawcett, confirmed the theory that nothing beats reality for a good story.

Currently living in San Diego with her husband, Chatfield is a freelance writer and editorial columnist for the North County Times. She is an member of the Military Writers Society of America, American Historical Association and associate member of the Third Marine Division Association.