William E. Colby Military Writers' Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 14 (2012) Winner
Michael Franzak
マイケル・フランザック
Michael V. Franzak
Aliases:
Mike Franzak / Zak
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
Career
- Occupations
- Writer, Veteran, Marine Corps pilot, Contract pilot
- Active Years
- 1981-
- Affiliations
- VMA-513 ('The Flying Nightmares'), VF-1, United States Marine Corps, United States Navy
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas A&M University | — | — | — | 1983–1987 | United States |
Texas A&M University
Period:
1983–1987
Year of Graduation:
1987
Country:
United States
Received an NROTC scholarship while enrolled; commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant upon graduation.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Distinguished Flying Cross (with Combat 'V') | — | — | United States Department of Defense | 受賞 |
| — | Air Medal (strike numeral 5) | — | — | United States Department of Defense | 受賞 |
| 2012 | William E. Colby Award | A Nightmare's Prayer | — | William E. Colby Military Writers' Symposium | 受賞 |
Distinguished Flying Cross (with Combat 'V')
2005
Organization:
United States Department of Defense
Result:
受賞
Air Medal (strike numeral 5)
Organization:
United States Department of Defense
Result:
受賞
William E. Colby Award
2012
Work:
A Nightmare's Prayer
Organization:
William E. Colby Military Writers' Symposium
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
A Nightmare's Prayer
2010 MemoirA memoir based on three journals kept during his deployment in Afghanistan. It addresses combat, love, sacrifice, and fear.
CombatTraumaCamaraderieFamilyCourageSacrifice
Bibliography
- A Nightmare's Prayer (2010)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Forthright, descriptive proseReflective, journal-based narration
- Recurring Motifs
- Night flightsFear and courageFellowshipMemories of the battlefield
Legacy
Notable as one of the first Afghanistan memoirs by a Marine Harrier pilot; recognized within the military memoir genre and awarded the 2012 Colby Award.
Academic Societies
- William E. Colby Military Writers' Symposium
Quotes
-
The book addresses combat, love, sacrifice, and fear.
Source: Author interview (NPR) (2010)
Trivia
- After high school he joined the U.S. Navy, later received an NROTC scholarship to Texas A&M and switched to the Marine Corps.
- Deployed to Afghanistan in 2002–2003 as an AV-8B Harrier pilot (nicknamed the 'Widow Maker').
- Donated a portion of the royalties from his memoir to TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors).
- Received the Distinguished Flying Cross (with Combat 'V') in 2005 and won the Colby Award in 2012.
- Retired from the Marine Corps in 2006 and now works as a contract pilot.