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Mike’s expertise encompasses leadership, international terror, trans-national crime, human trafficking, piracy and counter piracy operations as well as geo-political and military history. He is an internationally recognized historian, author, and speaker.
His book, Bloodstained Sea: The U.S. Coast Guard in the Battle of the Atlantic 1941-1944, received critical acclaim by reviewers and veterans. The Naval Order of the United States honored him with its 2005 Samuel Eliot Morison Award for Naval Literature.
On the lighter side, he published, in conjunction with Flat Hammock Press, a new edition of “Sinbad of the Coast Guard,” the adventurous, true story of the USCGC Campbell’s mascot whose exploits during World War II became legend. Appropriately, Sinbad's story was told by a fellow member of the Coast Guard, Chief George F. Foley, Jr., while the fine pictures were drawn by the outstanding Coast Guard Reserve artist, George Gray.
Mike’s first novel Choke Points (Cutter Publishing, 2009) addresses the real threats to Maritime and Port Security overlooked or ignored by other maritime security experts.
In 2005, he appeared on the History Channel series Man, Moment, Machine episode about Andrew J. Higgins, the designer and builder of the vital landing craft used in World War II, and, as a script consultant for the episode, reviewed the material for accuracy.
After graduating from Montclair State University with a BA in Biology, Mike served in the U.S. Coast Guard for six years as a commissioned officer and a senior petty officer. His assignments included buoy tending, search and rescue missions, search and rescue coordination, drug law enforcement, and oceanographic operations in the Arctic. As part of the Boarding Party and Prize Crew teams on two cutters, he participated in the seizures of a Panamanian drug-runner and a Cuban fishing boat. His decorations include the U.S. Coast Guard Achievement Medal (O) for counter-drug operations, the Arctic Service Medal, the Sea Service Medal, the National Defense Medal, and the U.S.C.G. Cutterman's insignia.
Mike has spent more than 45 years collecting stories from veterans from World War II, Korea, Viet Nam, and Iraq as well as those of pilots, merchant seaman, civilian personnel with NATO and EUFOR in the Balkans. His research has included visits to London, England; Sarajevo, Bosnia i Herzegovina; Baska Voda, Croatia; Halifax, Nova Scotia, and New Orleans.
He can be reached through his web site: (www.mikewalling.com).