About the Author

William A. "Bill" Hamilton is notable for his success in so many fields, including infantry combat, aviation, journalism, business, and for being the co-creator (with his wife) of the award-winning Emily Warner Aviation Museum on Emily Warner Field at Granby, Colorado. Bill's highly-decorated military career is recognized on the Oklahoma Army ROTC Wall of Fame and by the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame. Hamilton is a laureate of the Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame, and the Nebraska Aviation Hall of Fame. He was recognized by the North Dakota Aviation Council with its first-ever Outstanding Service Award. He is a laureate of the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame and the Colorado Authors' Hall of Fame. He and Penny, his wife of over 51 years, were named Distinguished Graduates of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Both have been named Grand County Citizens of the Year. In 2023, the Colorado House of Representatives passed a resolution commending Hamilton for his induction into the Colorado Authors' Hall of Fame.

While in high school, Bill was elected Governor of Oklahoma Boys’ State after which he entered the University of Oklahoma on Regent’s and Danforth Scholarships where, in combination with law school, he completed the requirements for a degree in Government. At O.U., he was named a Big Man on Campus (B.M.O.C.) in both his junior and senior years. A member of Delta Upsilon Fraternity, he finished his last year at O.U. as president of the Inter-fraternity Council. In 2002, during the 75th anniversary celebration of Delta Upsilon on the O.U. campus, he and fellow member, Ben Walkingstick, were named the two most outstanding alumni of the preceding 75 years.

Military service: After graduating from the University of Oklahoma, he served 20 years on active duty as an infantry officer; however, he also saw two years of duty with the U.S. Air Force (19th Air Force and the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing), and spent a year at the U.S. Naval War College where he was named a Distinguished Graduate. (After class hours, he served as a sailing instructor for the Naval War College Yacht Club.)

While on active duty, he commanded: mechanized infantry, airborne and armored cavalry units. Half of his career was spent overseas in West Germany and Vietnam, to include temporary assignments in Turkey, Greece, South Korea, and Norway. In 2010, he was honored by the Wounded Warrior Foundation.

During his military service, he earned the following awards: the Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Stars (4), Purple Heart, Air Medals (20), Army Commendation Medal with "V," U.S. Air Force Commendation Medal, Expert Infantry Badge, Combat Infantry Badge, and Master Parachutist Badge. In 2008, he was named to the University of Oklahoma Army R.O.T.C. Wall of Fame. In 2018, he was made a laureate of the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame.

Public service: Following his military career, Dr. Hamilton held several posts in government and politics. In order: he was aide and speech writer for Nebraska Governor Charles Thone, deputy director of the Policy Research Office; director, of the Governor's Task Force for Government Improvement, and executive director of Nebraska's largest political party.

Business: In 1983, Dr. Hamilton was invited to leave his adjunct professorship at Nebraska Wesleyan University and go to Wall Street to serve as the principal assistant to the head of the Public Finance Group for one of the nation's largest investment banking firms. While in New York City, he re-wrote the firm's complex publications on its various offerings, making them understandable to the lay reader. After that assignment, in 1984, he returned to Lincoln, Nebraska, where he and his wife, Penny, co-founded Advanced Research Institute (ARI) advertising, public-relations, and political-consulting firm which, after only one year in business, was recognized by the Lincoln Independent Business Association (LIBA) with its Gambler Award. Among a large number of state and congressional-level political-campaign successes, ARI played a key role in the election of Kay A. Orr, Nebraska's first-ever woman governor.

Aviation: An aviator since 1968, he became active, after military retirement, in a number of civilian aviation organizations. He served as chairman of the Nebraska Aeronautics Commission; chairman, of the Nebraska State Airline Commission, as a member of the Kansas State Aviation Advisory Board, as a member of the Colorado Aeronautical Board, and as president of the Friends of the Granby Airport, Inc. In 2012, the North Dakota Aeronautics Commission honored him with its first-ever Outstanding Service Award. He and his wife, Penny, co-hold a World Aviation Speed Record. In 2008, Dr. Hamilton was inducted into the Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame. In 2017, he was inducted into the Nebraska Aviation Hall of Fame.

Journalism: In 1982, he created "Central View," his nationally syndicated newspaper column, for SUN Newspapers of Lincoln, Nebraska. Later, in 1987, while serving as editor-in-chief of The Capital Times of Lincoln Nebraska, he became a featured commentator for USA Today. Dr. Hamilton is a winner of the Valley Forge Freedoms Foundation Medal for his writings on foreign and military affairs. He and his wife have co-authored a four-novel series of espionage novels: The Grand Conspiracy, The Panama Conspiracy, The Berlin Conspiracy and JFK: The Umbrella Conspiracy. They write as: William Penn. The largely autobiographical novels are based, in part, on his own experience as an intelligence officer in Europe. The novels are in the "cozy" spy novel genre, meaning they are suitable for readers of all ages. www.buckanddolly.com. For "Central View," see also: www.central-view.com. Dr. Hamilton is the author of The Wit and Wisdom of William Hamilton: The Sage of Sheepdog Hill, Pegasus Imprimis Press (2017) which is available via Amazon.com.

Here's the Amazon Link.

"The late, great Reed Irvine, the founder of Accuracy-in-Media, was a friend and mentor," said Dr. Hamilton. "Reed and I traveled to the USSR and to South Korea together. Reed was always preaching accuracy above all. He made us all better at our craft. I am also indebted to Sid Hurlburt, my long-time editor at USA Today, who so generously gave me dozens of opportunities to oppose the editorial positions taken by USA Today." In 2014, Dr. Hamilton was inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame. "To be in the same Hall with Will Rogers, Paul Harvey, Franck McGee, James J. Kilpatrick, Douglas Edwards, Bruce Palmer, John Conley, and E.K. Gaylord, and so many other outstanding Oklahoma journalists is, indeed, an honor," said Dr. Hamilton.

Academe: Over the years, Dr. Hamilton taught 300-level courses for the University of Maryland -- European Division (Fulda, W. Germany campus), Columbia College (Lincoln campus), and Nebraska Wesleyan University -- Lincoln. In 2015, Dr. Hamilton received the University of Nebraska Distinguished Alumni Award.

Education: University of Oklahoma, B.A. (Government); U.S. Army Language School (German), The George Washington University, M.S. (International Affairs); U.S. Naval War College (Distinguished Graduate); University of Nebraska, Ph.D.(History), and Harvard Kennedy School of Government (Senior Executives Program).

Memberships: He is a Life Member of the Military Officers of America and a Life Member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart.

Dr. William Hamilton claims to be a charter member of the Denis Thatcher Society, which is reserved for men who are married to women who are smarter than they are. His wife, Penny, the other Dr. Hamilton, has more degrees than a thermometer. She has been named: Grand County Realtor of the Year received the Colorado Realtors Association "Good Neighbor Award," and the Greater Granby Area Chamber of Commerce "Lifetime Achievement Award." She is a Denver Channel 7 "Everyday Hero," and is a 2011 laureate of the Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame. In 2012 she was awarded the National Aviation Journalism Award by the National Association of State Aviation Officials. In 2013, the Columbia College Alumni Association selected her for its 2013 Distinguished Alumni Award. A two-time breast-cancer survivor, one of her paintings was chosen in 2013 by the Eli Lilly Corporation to be enlarged as a mural and painted on a huge wall near Eli Lilly headquarters in downtown Indianapolis. In 2014, Penny was named to the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame.

See: www.pennyhamilton.com. In 2015, Dr. Hamilton, along with her husband, received the University of Nebraska Distinguished Alumni Award. She is a laureate of the Colorado Authors' Hall of Fame and now serves on its advisory board since 2023.

As part of their TV series on "Great Colorado Women,-Season 1" on February 15, 2018, the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame and Rocky Mountain PBS-TV, produced a 30-minute documentary about her life called: "Penny the Pilot" That program can be seen in its entirely here.

In 2023, Penny appeared in the documentary production: Emily Howell Warner: Pushing Frontiers in the Sky, Great Colorado Women-Season V here.

The other Dr. Hamilton published The Wit and Wisdom of William Hamilton: The Sage of Sheepdog Hill, Pegasus Imprimis Press, (2017). Available via Amazon.com and selected retail outlets in Grand County, CO. Most recently, he is the author of War During Peace: A Strategy for Defeat, his 50-year study of the origins of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam to include the lessons we should have learned from that experience. All of his books are available via amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and selected book stores. Most proceeds go to help disabled veterans.

At the outset of our over 50-year marriage made in Heaven," said Bill Hamilton, "I was the mentor. But, as the years went by, I became Penny's student. For any successes I may have had in life, most of them are the result of being married to Penny, AKA Wonder Wife." See: www.pennyhamilton.com.