Peter G. Dorland received a bachelor's degree in biology from Amherst College. From April 1971 to April 1972 he served in Vietnam as an Army lieutenant flying helicopter ambulance missions for "Eagle Dust Off" of the 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile). From 1974 to 1977 he worked on this manuscript at Fort Detrick, Maryland, for the Army Medical Department. He then returned to flying duties, and is currently commanding, as a major, the 247th Medical Detachment at Fort Irwin, California.

James S. Nanney received his B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees from Vanderbilt University. His fields were American diplomatic history and Russian history. From 1974 to 1980 he worked as a research associate for the George C. Marshall Research Foundation, helping Dr. Forrest C. Pogue examine the postwar career of General Marshall as Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense. In 1977-78, he took a year's leave of absence from the Foundation to teach Russian and recent U.S. history at Murray State University, Murray, Kentucky. Since November 1980 he has been a member of the staff of the Center of Military History. He is currently working on the updating of American Military History, by Dr. Maurice Matloff, et al.