Hornberger M.D., H. Richard (1924 - 1997)

Genre: General Fiction

Richard Hornberger received his medical degree from Cornell Medical School, specialized in surgery, and served as an Army Medical Corps surgeon with the 8055th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in Korea; his war experiences were the basis for his very popular novel (written as Richard Hooker), MASH (1968), which he wrote while waiting for patients at his offices in Bremen, Maine. It was made into a movie in 1970 (screenplay by Ring Lardner, Jr.) and a long-running television series (1972-1983).

He based the character of Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce on himself, although the political conservative said he said he never liked actor Alan Alda's portrayal of the character in the TV series.

After the war, Hornberger worked briefly in a veterans' hospital before opening a surgical practice in Waterville, Maine, which he maintained until retirement in 1988. He died of leukemia in 1997.

Co-author William E. Butterworth is also known as W.E.B. Griffin, the military novelist.

Selected Bibliography

  • MASH (1968) written with sportswriter Wilfred C. Heinz
  • MASH Goes to Maine (1971)
  • MASH Goes to New Orleans (1974) with William E Butterworth
  • MASH Goes to Paris (1974) with William E Butterworth
  • MASH Goes to London (1975) with William E Butterworth
  • MASH Goes to Morocco (1975) with William E Butterworth
  • MASH Goes to Hollywood (1976) with William E Butterworth
  • MASH Goes to Las Vegas (1976) with William E Butterworth
  • MASH Goes to Miami (1976) with William E Butterworth
  • MASH Goes to San Francisco (1976) with William E Butterworth
  • MASH Goes to Vienna (1976) with William E Butterworth
  • MASH Goes to Montreal (1977) with William E Butterworth
  • MASH Goes to Moscow (1977) with William E Butterworth
  • MASH Goes to Texas (1977) with William E Butterworth
  • MASH Mania (1977)

Selected Resources