Ned Shuman was born on October 7, 1931, in Boston, Massachusetts. He entered the U.S. Naval Academy Prep School on January 12, 1949, and started at the U.S. Naval Academy in June 1950, graduating with a commission as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy in June 1954. Ens Shuman next completed flight training and was designated a Naval Aviator in October 1955, followed by service as an F3D Skyknight pilot with VC-4 from October 1955 to July 1957. His next assignment was as an F9F-8B Cougar pilot with VF-81 from July 1957 to May 1959, and then as an instructor pilot with VA-43 at NAS Oceana, Virginia, from May 1959 to January 1960. LT Shuman served as a test pilot at the Naval Air Test Center, NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, from January 1960 to June 1962, and then attended the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School from June 1962 to June 1963. His next assignment was as ship's crew aboard the aircraft carrier USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA-42) from June 1963 to January 1966, followed by service on the staff of the Commander Carrier Air Wing Seven (CAW-7) from January 1966 to September 1967. LCDR Shuman next served as an A-6 Intruder pilot with VA-35 from September 1967 until he was forced to eject over North Vietnam and was taken as a Prisoner of War on March 17, 1968. After spending 1,824 days in captivity, CDR Shuman was released during Operation Homecoming on March 14, 1973. He was briefly hospitalized to recover from his injuries at the Portsmouth Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, Virginia, and then received a college student assignment from February to July 1974. His next assignment was as Commanding Officer of VF-43 at NAS Oceana from July 1974 to March 1975, followed by service as Commanding Officer of Fighter Wing ONE from April to November 1975. Capt Shuman served with the Naval Safety Center at Norfolk, Virginia, from November 1975 to March 1978, and then at Naval Station Annapolis, Maryland, from March 1978 to July 1982. His final assignment was as Commander of NAS Bermuda from July 1982 until his retirement from the Navy on July 1, 1984. Ned Shuman Flew West on December 3, 2013, and was buried at the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery in Annapolis, Maryland.

His Silver Star Citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while interned as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam. In September 1969, his captors, completely ignoring international agreements, subjected him to extreme mental and physical cruelties in an attempt to obtain military information and false confessions for propaganda purposes. Through his resistance to those brutalities, he contributed significantly toward the eventual abandonment of harsh treatment by the North Vietnamese, which was attracting international attention. By his determination, courage, resourcefulness, and devotion to duty, he reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Naval Service and the United States Armed Forces.