He initially planned to become a lawyer but changed his path after editing a literary magazine at university.
Groom was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity at the University of Alabama.
His Vietnam War experiences influenced several of his novels.
He also wrote nonfiction works on American history, including Shrouds of Glory and Patriotic Fire.
Despite the success of the Forrest Gump film, Groom reportedly did not receive significant royalties from its box office earnings.