Born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania. He was named after his father, who served in the 5th Infantry Division during World War I. His parents were both college graduates. While attending high school in Pittsburgh's North Side, he began writing poetry at the age of 12, when he won a local talent contest with his poem "Knocking on Heaven's Door"
Read more
After graduating from high school in 1941, he enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps. Following World War II, McKuen worked as a copywriter for the Cushman Motor Company. In 1956, he began writing his most famous song, "Convoy", which was later made into a movie with the same title.
He wrote or co-wrote more than 1,000 poems and songs, including "A Teenager's Prayer", "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock", "It Was Fifty Years Ago Today" and "Love Song of Robert Browning". McKuen had received eight honorary doctorates by the time of his death in 2001 at age 76.