Elmer W. Sherwood was an American soldier, politician, and writer born in Linton, Indiana, in 1896. While studying English at Indiana University, his education was interrupted by the United States' entry into World War I. Sherwood enlisted in the military and served with the 150th Field Artillery Regiment, a unit within the 42nd Infantry Division. Throughout his deployment in Europe, Sherwood maintained a detailed personal diary. This wartime record was later published in 1922 under the title Rainbow Hoosier, offering a firsthand account of a Midwestern soldier's experiences on the Western Front.\n\nFollowing the war, Sherwood returned to Indiana University to complete his degree. His entry into public life began early; he was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives while still a student. After graduating in 1921, he balanced careers in education, journalism, and public service. He worked as an English teacher, served as the clerk of Greene County, and later became the editor of the American Legion's magazine, the National Legionnaire.\n\nDuring World War II, Sherwood served as the director of public relations at Fort Benjamin Harrison and was appointed as the Adjutant General of the Indiana National Guard in 1945. Though his later political career was marred by a conviction and brief imprisonment related to the Indiana Toll Road scandal, he eventually retired to Florida as a Brigadier General in the Army Reserves. Sherwood passed away in 1979, leaving behind a legacy defined by his military service and his published wartime recollections.
