Colby Award Explained

The William E. Colby Military Writers' Award was established in 1999 by the William E. Colby Military Writers' Symposium at Norwich University in Vermont in order to recognize "a first work of fiction or non-fiction that has made a major contribution to the understanding of intelligence operations, military history, or international affairs." It is named in honor of William Egan Colby.^[1] As of 2021, Alex Kershaw is the chair of its selection committee.^[2]

The Colby Circle was co-founded by writers Carlo D'Este and W.E.B. Griffin. The award honorarium is currently administered by the Tawani Foundation in Chicago, and presented at the annual William E. Colby Military Writers' Symposium hosted by Norwich University.

Recipients

• 2023 Charles E. Stanley Jr., Lost Airmen: The Epic Rescue of WWII U.S. Bomber Crews Stranded Behind Enemy Lines
• 2022 Wesley Morgan, ^[3]
• 2021 Mark Treanor, ^[4]
• 2020 Adam Higginbotham, Midnight in Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World’s Greatest Nuclear Disaster^[5]
• 2019 Paul Scharre, Army of None,^[6]
• 2018 Steven E. Sodergren, The Army of the Potomac in the Overland & Petersburg Campaigns,^{[7] [8]}
• 2017 David J. Barron, ,^[9]
• 2016 Nisid Hajari, ,^[10]
• 2015 Douglas V. Mastriano, Alvin York: A New Biography of the Hero of the Argonne,^{[11] [12] [13]}
• 2014 Logan Beirne, Blood of Tyrants: George Washington and the Forging of the Presidency,^{[14] [15]}
• 2013 Thomas P. McKenna, Kontum: The Battle to Save South Vietnam,^{[16] [17] [18]}
• 2012 Michael Franzak, A Nightmare's Prayer^[19]
• 2011 Karl Marlantes, ^{[20] [21]}
• 2010 Jack H. Jacobs, If Not Now, When?^{[22] [23]}
• 2009 Dexter Filkins, The Forever War, and Marcus Luttrell, Lone Survivor^[24]
• 2008 R. Alan King, Twice Armed: An American Soldier's Battle for the Hearts and Minds in Iraq^[25]
• 2007 John Glusman, Conduct Under Fire, and Ian W. Toll, Six Frigates^[26]
• 2006 Nathaniel Fick One Bullet Away, and Kevin Weddle, Lincoln's Tragic Admiral
• 2005 Sidney Shachnow and Jann Robbins Hope and Honor, and 2005 Jon Meacham Franklin and Winston^[27]
• 2004 Bing West and Major General Ray L. Smith The March Up, and Robert L. Bateman's
• 2003 Bryan Mark Rigg Hitler's Jewish Soldiers
• 2002 Patrick K. O'Donnell Beyond Valor, and Ralph Wetterhahn The Last Battle
• 2001 James Bradley with Ron Powers Flags of Our Fathers
• 2000 B.G. Burkett and Glenna Whitley Stolen Valor
• 1999 Fred Chiaventone A Road We Do Not Know, and Bill Harlow Circle William

External links

• William E. Colby Award, official website

Notes and References

1. Web site: Colby Award Winners . Goodreads.com . 2014-05-01.
2. Web site: Colby Award chair - University College Oxford - Univ. 2021-03-30. University College Oxford. en-GB.
3. Web site: Journalist Wesley Morgan wins Colby Award for book about the war in Afghanistan and the troops who served there . Norwich University . 2022-06-16.
4. Web site: Vermont native Mark Treanor wins Colby Award for book about service in Vietnam War and its aftermath . Norwich University . 2021-06-08.
5. Web site: Book on Chernobyl nuclear accident wins $5,000 prize. ABC News. April 20, 2020. November 13, 2020.
6. Web site: War veteran Paul Scharre wins award for book 'Army of None'. Business Insider. April 23, 2019. November 13, 2020.
7. Web site: Colby Award Goes to Norwich Professor.
8. Web site: Civil War history wins $5,000 award. Associated Press. 2018-04-16. https://web.archive.org/web/20180417023416/http://www.therepublic.com/2018/04/12/us-books-colby-award/. 2018-04-17. dead.
9. Web site: David J. Barron Wins Norwich University Award for Best Military Book. 15 February 2017.
10. Web site: Nisid Hajari Wins 2016 Colby Award for Best Military Book. Office of Communications. 2016-04-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20160422101324/http://oc.norwich.edu/blog/nisid-hajari-wins-2016-colby-award-for-best-military-book/. 2016-04-22. dead.
11. Web site: The Colby Award for Military Writers : Colby Symposium. Colby Symposium. 2014-05-01. https://archive.today/20131222152554/http://colby.norwich.edu/award/. 2013-12-22. dead.
12. Web site: Mastriano Wins 2015 William E. Colby Award. PublishersWeekly.com.
13. Web site: Author Douglas V. Mastriano to Receive 2015 William E. Colby Award. Books News Desk. broadwayworld.com.
14. Web site: 'Blood of Tyrants' Wins 2014 William E. Colby Award | Armchair General | Armchair General Magazine - We Put YOU in Command! . Armchair General . 2014-05-01.
15. Web site: Logan Beirne '08 Named Washington Historian Winner of 2014 William E. Colby Award | Yale Law School . Law.yale.edu . 2014-05-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150518091659/http://www.law.yale.edu/alumni/18009.htm . 2015-05-18 . dead .
16. Web site: Norwich announces Vt. writer winner of 2013 William E. Colby Award . Vtdigger.org . 2013-03-07 . 2014-05-01.
17. Web site: Colby Award Recipient 2011 . Tawani Foundation . 2014-05-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140502003150/http://www.tawanifoundation.org/colby/2013-recipient.php . 2014-05-02 . dead .
18. Web site: Jan Gardner . "Kontum: The Battle to Save South Vietnam" wins Colby Award - Books . The Boston Globe . 2013-03-30 . 2014-05-01.
19. Web site: Norwich University Announces Winner of 2012 William E. Colby Award . https://web.archive.org/web/20120425002138/http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/2/prweb9218227.htm . dead . April 25, 2012 . Prweb.com . 2014-05-01.
20. Web site: Andriani . Lynn . 'Matterhorn' Wins Colby Award . Publishersweekly.com . 2011-02-10 . 2014-05-01.
21. Web site: "Matterhorn" wins Pritzker's William E. Colby Award - Chicago Tribune . Articles.chicagotribune.com . 2011-02-21 . 2014-05-01.
22. Web site: Colby Award Recipient . Tawani Foundation . 2014-05-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140502002822/http://www.tawanifoundation.org/colby/2010-recipient.php . 2014-05-02 . dead .
23. If Not Now, When?: Duty and Sacrifice in America's Time of Need Wins 2010... - CHICAGO, Feb. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ . Prnewswire.com . 2014-05-01.
24. Web site: Norwich Gives Colby Award To Marcus Luttrell and Dexter Filkins . M.thenorthfieldnews.com . 2009-04-09 . 2014-05-01.
25. Web site: 'Twice Armed' Wins 2008 Colby Award. - Free Online Library . Thefreelibrary.com . 2014-05-01.
26. Web site: Winner of the Colby Award announced. - Free Online Library . Thefreelibrary.com . 2007-02-20 . 2014-05-01.
27. Web site: Archived copy . 2014-05-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140502032458/http://www.sfa-72.com/MG-Ret-SidShachnowtBio.pdf . 2014-05-02 . dead .