George Herring was born on May 23, 1936 in Blacksburg, Virginia, USA. He was married to Dottie and Nancy. He died on November 30, 2022 in Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
He taught history for 36 years at the University of Kentucky, and became a prominent historian of American diplomacy. He devoted much of his scholarship to the Vietnam War.
He received a bachelor's degree in history from Roanoke College. He served in the Navy before continuing his study of history at the University of Virginia, receiving a master's degree and a doctorate.