Iliff David "Rich" Richardson (April 9, 1918 – October 10, 2001) was simultaneously a US Navy ensign and a US Army major while fighting with the Philippine resistance against Japan during World War II.

[1]: vii Iliff studied at Compton Junior College, then travelled through Europe, the Near and Middle East, returning to the US before the fall of France in World War II.

[1]: 43 Richardson and 11 other Americans, all Air Corps but two,[1]: 52, 55  attempted to sail the native outrigger to Australia against the summer southwest monsoon,[1]: 58  but the boat was sunk by a storm on 18 May after only traveling 200 miles.

[1]: 63–73, 76 The summer of 1942 was quiet for Richardson and the other Americans on Mindanao until September, when armed resistance against the Japanese started in Balingasag, Misamis Oriental.

[1]: 121 Richardson eventually joined the Philippine guerrilla forces of Ruperto Kangleon,[1]: v  and offered to establish contact with Col. Fertig on Mindanao.

[1]: 135  While there, Richardson met Chick Parsons and agreed to set up radio stations around Leyte and Samar, and provide intelligence on Japanese ship movements.

[1]: 170–171  In November 1943, under orders from Col. Fertig, Kangleon, Richardson, and other guerrilla leaders were in Mindanao to coordinate activities, and meet the submarine USS Narwhal delivering American aid.

After the liberation of the Philippines, Richardson transcribed his memoirs to Pulitzer Prize-winning war correspondent and author Ira Wolfert of the North American Newspaper Alliance.

The name of the central character was changed to "Chuck Palmer" and he was given a fictional love-interest for dramatic purposes, but based on Richardson's girlfriend "Curly".

[1]: 162–167, 216–218, 233 Following the war, Richardson married Coma Noel and lived in Houston, Texas, where he worked as a business executive, life insurance salesman, and a consultant, as well as acting as technical advisor for several Hollywood films.

Thomas F. Swearingen noted in his book World's Fighting Shotguns, "The American market would not tolerate such a primitive firearm, even as a curio.