Facts:   - relatives: homer -rrb- jim hickam -lrb- brother -rrb- hickam -lrb- father -rrb- elsie hickam -lrb- mother    - language: english    - module: honorific_prefix = native_name_lang = image = image_size = alt = caption = = birth_date = death_date = birth_place = death_place = placeofburial name = placeofburial_label = placeofburial_coordinates = nickname = birth_name = allegiance = = branch = u.s. army serviceyears = 1964 -- 1970 homer rank = captain servicenumber = unit = fourth infantry division hickam commands = battles = vietnam -lrb- 1967 -- 1968 -rrb- honorific_suffix battles_label = awards = army commendation medal , bronze star = native_name    - caption: author '' ` homer hickam , jr. '' '    - notableworks: '' the josh thurlow series the coalwood way sky of stone rocket red helmet we are not afraid '' october sky boys torpedo junction back to the moon    - citizenship: american    - genre: memoirs , historical fiction    - spouse: linda terry hickam      - education: bs in industrial engineering -lrb- 1964 -rrb-    - birth date: 19 february 1943    - name: homer h. hickam , jr. .    - image size: 250px    - image: h3photo3.jpg    - birth place: coalwood , west virginia , united states    - alma mater: virginia polytechnic institute and state university    - occupation: author , aerospace engineer -lrb- retired -rrb-   Based on these bullet points, write a short biography describing the life of homer hickam .
homer hadley hickam , jr. -lrb- born february 19 , 1943 -rrb- is an american author , vietnam veteran , and a former nasa engineer .his autobiographical novel `` rocket boys : a memoir '' , was a no. 1 new york times best seller , is studied in many american and international school systems , and was the basis for the 1999 film `` october sky '' .hickam has also written a number of best-selling memoirs and novels including the `` josh thurlow '' historical fiction novels .his books have been translated into several languages .