Order of Barry Sadler Books

Barry Sadler (1940-1989) was an American military fiction writer best known for creating the enduring Casca series, which continues to captivate readers through the work of subsequent authors. Before turning to novels, Sadler distinguished himself as a Green Beret medic and Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. His military experience deeply influenced his writing, but he first gained fame through music with his album Ballads of the Green Berets, featuring the chart-topping "Ballad of the Green Berets."

Sadler's literary career began in 1977 with The Moi: A Novel of the Vietnam War, and he continued writing until his final work, Rescue, was published in 1991. His personal life was marked by controversy when, in 1978, he fatally shot country musician Lee Emerson Bellamy following harassment and threats related to a romantic dispute over Darlene Sharp. Though convicted of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to 4-5 years, Sadler served only 21 days in prison.

The Casca series became Sadler's literary legacy, with other authors—particularly Tony Roberts—continuing the franchise after The Mongol. Sadler also collaborated with Billy Arr on Nashville with a Bullet. In The Damned, the seventh Casca installment, readers follow the immortal warrior as he faces the formidable Attila the Hun alongside the enigmatic Ch'ing Li in a battle for Europe's survival.