Home > War in the Persian Gulf > Michael Donnelly Biography

Born February 3, 1959

Orange, California

American fighter pilot who became a champion for veterans suffering from Gulf War syndrome

"Even today, as I sit, paralyzed by ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease, unable to speak, eat, or even scratch my head, I consider myself a patriot."

Michael Donnelly in Contemporary Authors.

As a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force, Major Michael Donnelly flew forty-four combat missions over Iraq during the Persian Gulf War. Once he returned home, however, he began experiencing mysterious health problems that were eventually diagnosed as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This rare disease destroys nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing paralysis and eventually death. Donnelly learned that an unusually high number of Gulf War veterans suffered from ALS, and he became convinced that the disease was directly related to their...