Bruce Gamble is an American historian, an author, andUnited States Military veteran. As a historian, Gamble specializes inWorld War II in thePacific, and has written seven books on this particular topic.

Gamble was born on December 7, the anniversary of theAttack on Pearl Harbor.^[1] He grew up in CentralPennsylvania.^[2] Gamble comes from a family of military aviators. His father was a B-29 pilot in the Pacific and his uncle was a B-17 navigator inNew Guinea.^[1]

Gamble graduated fromPennsylvania State University in 1980 with a degree in pre-law.^[3] Following his graduation, Gamble attended AviationOfficer Candidate School, and was commissioned atPensacola, Florida. In 1982, he was "winged" as aNaval Flight Officer.^[4]

Gamble spent eight years in naval aviation during theCold War, where he specialized in electronic warfare.^[1][3] For three years he flew as a navigator on EA-3B Skywarriors, logging nearly 1,000 hours. He was deployed aboard aircraft carriers in thePacific andIndian Oceans.^[5] Following this, Gamble returned to Pensacola, where he instructed student naval flight officers in T-47 Citation II jets for two years.^[3][4] In 1988, he was diagnosed with a malignantspinal cord tumor. After undergoing surgery, he medically retired and began using a wheelchair. Gamble has been cancer-free for over twenty years.^[1][4]

Gamble began to volunteer at theNational Museum of Naval Aviation after his retirement at the age of 30. He also worked part-time for the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation as the staff historian. During his time there, he collected interviews with aviators and wrote for their magazine,Foundations.^[1][4]

Gamble embarked on a career as a freelance writer. His first book,The Black Sheep, was published in 1998. His books all focus on World War II, specifically in the Pacific region. Three of Gamble's books center on theVMA-214, also known as the "Black Sheep" squadron of World War II. Gamble wrote a biography onPappy Boyington, aUnited States Marine Corpsfighter ace. He is the author of theRabaul trilogy series. Gamble's books have acquired praise fromPublishers Weekly andBooklist.^[1]

He has been a featured historian on various documentaries produced byHistory Channel,Fox News Channel,PBS, andPritzker Military Museum & Library.^[1]

Gamble is a lifetime member of the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation and Paralyzed Veterans of America.^[5]

Gamble's book,Fortress Rabaul, won the Gold Medal from theMilitary Writers Society of America and the "Editor's Choice Award" from Stone & Stone Second World War Books.

In 2010, he received the Admiral Arthur W. Radford award for excellence in naval aviation history and literature, presented by the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation.

In 2013, he won a Florida Book Award.^[2]

• Gamble, Bruce (2018).Kangaroo Squadron: American Courage in the Darkest Days of World War II. Da Capo Press.ISBN 978-0306903120.
• Gamble, Bruce (2014).Invasion Rabaul: The Epic Story of Lark Force, the Forgotten Garrison, January-July 1942. Zenith Press.ISBN 978-0760345917.
• Gamble, Bruce (2013).Target: Rabaul: The Allied Siege of Japan's Most Infamous Stronghold, March 1943-August 1945. Zenith Press.ISBN 978-0760344071.
• Gamble, Bruce (2012).Swashbucklers and Black Sheep: A Pictorial History of Marine Fighting Squadron 214 in World War II. Zenith Press.ISBN 978-0760342503.
• Gamble, Bruce (2010).Fortress Rabaul: The Battle for the Southwest Pacific, January 1942-April 1943. Zenith Press.ISBN 978-0760345597.
• Gamble, Bruce (2000).Black Sheep One: The Life of Gregory "Pappy" Boyington. Presidio Press.ISBN 978-0891418016.
• Gamble, Bruce (1998).The Black Sheep: The Definitive Account of Marine Fighting Squadron 214 in World War II. Presidio Press.ISBN 978-0891418252.

• Bruce Gamble:Fortress Rabaul: The Battle for the Southwest Pacific, January 1942-April 1943 at Pritzker Military Museum and Library
• Bruce Gamble:Swashbucklers and Black Sheep at Pritzker Military Museum and Library
• Lectures: Bruce Gamble at National WWII Museum, New Orleans
• Bruce Gamble pays homage to Jack Kerouac at mustangs.about.com
• Bruce Gamble website

• Living people
• American historians of World War II
• American military historians
• American male non-fiction writers
• United States Navy officers
• Pennsylvania State University alumni

• Year of birth missing (living people)