William Wharton (7 November 1925 - 29 October 2008), the pen name of Albert William Du Aime (pronounced as doo-EM), was an American author best known for his first novel Birdy, which was also successful as a film.

Wharton was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Upper Darby High School in 1943 and was inducted into the school's Wall of Fame in 1997. He volunteered to serve in the United States Army during World War II and was assigned to a unit for training as engineers. He eventually served in the infantry and was severely wounded in the Battle of the Bulge.

After his discharge, he attended the University of California, Los Angeles, where he received an undergraduate degree in art.