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Adam Makos

b. 1981

American author and historian

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About Adam Makos

Born 1981. Adam Makos is an American writer and journalist.

Adam Makos (born 1981) is an American author and military historian. His works include A Higher Call, which recounts the Charlie Brown and Franz Stigler incident, and Spearhead (2019), a detailed biography of World War II tank gunner Clarence Smoyer. Both books have appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list. The 2022 film, Devotion, is based on his 2015 book of the same title, which tells the true story of a friendship between two U.S. Navy pilots in the Korean War.

At the age of 15 years, while in high school, he started to write military history and was one of the founding members of Ghost Wings, a forerunner to Valor, a magazine depicting veterans' stories.

His other works include Voices of the Pacific (2013), based on a collection of oral histories of marines and seamen who served in the Pacific during the Second World War.

Early life and education Adam Makos was brought up on the outskirts of Williamsport, Pennsylvania. He completed his early education from Montoursville Area High School. At the age of 15 years, while in high school, he started to write military history and was one of the founding members of Ghost Wings, a forerunner to Valor, a magazine depicting veterans' stories. He was a member of the school's French club and was signed up for a trip to Paris until opting to go to Walt Disney World with his family.

Career In 2012, after eight years of research, Makos published A Higher Call. It recounts the Charlie Brown and Franz Stigler incident. The book was on the New York Times Best Seller list.

The 2022 film, Devotion, is based on his 2015 book of the same title, which recounts the true story of a friendship between two U.S. Navy pilots in the Korean War.

In 2019, he published a detailed biography of World War II tank gunner Clarence Smoyer, titled Spearhead. The book made the top five in the New York Times Best Seller list.

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Important facts

Born
1981, Williamsport
Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Education
Lycoming College, Montoursville Area High School

People in Adam Makos's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Adam Makos's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Adam Makos?

American author and historian

When was Adam Makos born?

Adam Makos was born in 1981 in Williamsport.

What is Adam Makos's occupation?

Adam Makos is a writer and journalist.

What nationality is Adam Makos?

Adam Makos is American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Adam Makos

· Wikidata: Q61912623

· DBpedia: Adam Makos

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Adam Makos. https://biography.guide/adam-makos/

MLA: "Adam Makos." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/adam-makos/.

Chicago: "Adam Makos." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/adam-makos/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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