Pen and Sword

Martin and Rising discuss the symbiosis between poet Ernest Hemingway and US Army Major General Buck Lanham. Hemingway's time at war in Europe during World War II gave him direct experience with combat and close interaction with many US military leaders on the ground. In 1944 France, Hemingway met then Col. Charles T. "Buck" Lanham, West Point class of 1924, commander of the Army's 22nd Infantry Regiment, and the two became best pals. The men were intellectual equals connected over shared interests in history, literature, and military tactics. Hemingway the journalist became a de facto member of the regiment, beloved by the commander and the troops. The writer and the soldier forged a friendship that lasted for the remaining years of Hemingway's life. The symbiosis between the writer who longed to be a warrior and the professional soldier who was a published poet rounded out each man's character and enhanced Hemingway's art.