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Illustrator Biography

Drew Pallo

Courtesy of Nancy Olds

Having survived the Goliad Massacre, Drew arrived at the Alamo (Fort Bliss, El Paso, TX) in 1947 while his father was at the White Sands Missile Range firing old German V2 rockets. Coincidently, this was shortly after the Roswell Incident in which he has more than a passing interest.

Starting out as an “Army Brat”, he became an “Air Force Brat” when his father jumped ship when the new Air Force was literally just getting off the ground. His early memories are of Albuquerque, NM (Sandia Laboratories/Kirtland AFB), Montgomery, AL (Maxwell AFB), and Hampton, VA (Langley AFB). In the summer of 1954, Drew’s family went to Wiesbaden, Germany with travels all over Europe, which was followed by another relocation to San Bernardino, CA (Norton AFB).

These were his “Wonderbread” years playing in orange groves and bike riding with friends in to foothills while massive construction was underway. When the orange trees gave way to tract homes, instant battlefields to play soldier, shell holes and all, emerged. When these areas were leveled, instant baseball diamonds were created.

It was then that Drew started reading kid’s adventure stuff like the illustrated Tom Swifts, Hardy Boys and his all time favorite, the Three Musketeers. This was also the golden age of kid’s TV with westerns and adventure shows like The Gray Ghost, Zorro, and Robin Hood.

Then came a streak of luck for a military brat, going from eighth grade thru high school in Alexandria without moving. His school, George Washington High School had several famous graduates including John Philips and Cass Elliott of the Mama and Papas, Jim Morrison of the Doors, plus astronauts and CEOs. During these years, his non-assigned reading extended to Edgar Rice Burroughs and Robert E. Howard. Drew also ran track and cross-country. These also were the years of the Civil War Centennial, and living in Alexandria, VA, the epicenter of the Civil War in the East, he couldn’t get enough of it.

He enjoyed attending North Carolina Wesleyan in Rocky Mount, NC so much that Drew ended up in the Air Force. His two contending specialties were Technical Illustrator and Security Policeman. This allowed him to refine his artistic skills and be soldier at the same time.

After basic training at Amarillo AFB, TX, and a short stint at Andrews AFB, MD, the Air Force sent Drew to Libya just as Muammar Ghadaffi was taking over. When the U.S. was kicked out of Libya, he was re-assigned to South Ruislip Air Station, London, England. He had no complaints there - - - plenty of eye candy.

With additional training, Drew then began a 30-year career working for several Government contractors as a Graphic Artist/Illustrator. This period included 10 years playing on and managing a co-ed adult volleyball team with some of the finest people one would ever want to know.

Drew’s interest in the War Between the States remained and he found himself again returning to those thrilling days of yesteryear, the Civil War and living history soldiering. Of course now, at least, he’s not actually being shot at like in Libya. Drew is a member of Longsteet’s Staff Living History Organization, which is another group of really great people. He portrays two different characters with the same last name - - - Captain Shotwell, an Inspector General with John Bell Hood who served in the Foreign Battalion at the end of the war, and Private Shotwell, who fought with the 1st Texas Infantry.

And, by the way, Drew remains a born-again Texan helping a new amigo, Jack Maples, in redefining historical fiction and illustrating books in the old tradition!

	"Reconstructed Yankee" Review
		"Maples has done scrupulous research, and it shows in this well-written and powerful novel, which will appeal to Civil War buffs and historical fiction readers." — Kathleen Hughes American Library Association