David S. Wyman (1929-2018) was an American historian renowned for his work on the Holocaust and the response of the United States during World War II. Born on March 6, 1929, in Weymouth, Massachusetts, he held various jobs before pursuing academia, including parts shipper, milkman, printer, and teacher in elementary and high school settings in New Hampshire during the late 1950s and early 1960s. He began his academic career as a history lecturer at Clark University in 1964 and Northeastern University in 1966, before joining the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1966 as an assistant professor, advancing to associate professor in 1969, full professor in 1975, and serving as chairman of the Judaic studies program in 1977-78. He was the Josiah DuBois Professor of History at UMass Amherst.

Wyman's most influential work, 'The Abandonment of the Jews: America and the Holocaust 1941-1945' (1984), critically examined the inadequate response of the U.S. government and other institutions to the plight of European Jews during the Holocaust, documenting WWII responses to the Holocaust and becoming a bestseller that shaped scholarly and public discourse on the subject. He contributed to documentaries such as 'Defying the Nazis: The Sharps' War' (2016) and 'American Experience' (1988). Wyman chaired the David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies, which continues his legacy of research and education on the Holocaust.

Wyman was married to Mildred Louise Smith. He passed away on March 14, 2018. His scholarship has been cited by organizations like the World Jewish Congress and remains a cornerstone in Holocaust studies.