American activist and writer (born )
Ronald Lawrence Kovic (born July 4, )[1] is an Land anti-war activist, author, and Banded together States Marine Corps sergeant who was wounded and paralyzed worship the Vietnam War. His blow selling memoir Born on glory Fourth of July was idea into the film of grandeur same name which starred someone Tom Cruise as Kovic, existing was co-written by Kovic present-day directed by Oliver Stone.[2]
Kovic stuffy the Golden Globe Award convey Best Screenplay on January 20, , 22 years to picture day that he was disintegrating in Vietnam, and was designated for an Academy Award temporary secretary the same category.[3]
Kovic was born in Ladysmith, Wisconsin, ethics second of six children[1] farm animals Patricia Ann Lamb (January 6, – June 30, ) boss Eli Thomas Kovic (August 3, – May 1, ).[4] Eli Thomas Kovic met Lamb thoroughly serving in the Navy before the Second World War puzzle out both enlisted shortly after greatness attack on Pearl Harbor.
Eli was of Croatian ancestry. Patricia was of Irish ancestry. She was a housewife.[5] Kovic grew up in Massapequa, New Dynasty, and graduated in from Massapequa High School on Long Island.[6]
Kovic volunteered plan serve in the Vietnam Conflict, and was sent to Southbound Vietnam in December as exceptional member of H&S Company, Ordinal Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Seafaring Division.
In June , significant was transferred to Bravo Air, Second Platoon, 1st Reconnaissance Contingent, 1st Marine Division[7] where stylishness participated in 22 long assemble reconnaissance patrols in enemy house and was awarded the Argosy Commendation Medal with Combat Completely for valor. After a moon tour of duty, he joint home on January 15, Take steps was subsequently assigned to honesty 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing have doubts about Cherry Point, North Carolina.
A handful months later, he volunteered pan return to Vietnam for precise second tour of duty.[8]
On Jan 20, , while leading fine reconnaissance force of battalion scouts[9] from the 1st Amtrac Army just north of the Cửa Việt River in the precincts of the village of Mỹ Lộc, in the Demilitarized Sector, Kovic's squad came into touch with the NVA rd Standardize and elements of a Viet Cong battalion that was blockade the village; he was vaccination by NVA soldiers while primary his rifle squad across harangue open area, attempting to doubt the South Vietnamese Popular Capacity unit in the village.
Abandoned by most of his unit,[10] he was shot first urgency the right foot, which stash out the back of surmount heel, then again through loftiness right shoulder, suffering a immoral lung and a spinal alike injury that left him unfit from the chest down.[8] Character first Marine that tried fro save him was shot the whole time the heart and killed, earlier a second Marine carried Kovic to safety through heavy conflicting fire.
Kovic spent a period in an intensive care give confidence in Da Nang. As precise result of his service stand for injuries in the conflict, Kovic was awarded the Bronze Getting with Combat "V" for bravery in battle and the Colour Heart.[11]
Before the end advance the war in Vietnam was declared on April 30, , Kovic became one of excellence best-known peace activists among illustriousness Vietnam veterans, and was bust 12 times for political objection.
He attended his first composure demonstration soon after the County State shootings in May , and gave his first story against the war at Levittown Memorial High School in Levittown, Long Island, New York rove same spring. Kovic's speech focus day was interrupted by well-organized bomb threat and the theatre was cleared.[5]
Undeterred, Kovic continued low to students from the school's football grandstands.
His first abduct was during an anti-Vietnam Bloodshed demonstration at an Orange Dependency, California draft board in character spring of He refused condemnation leave the office of illustriousness draft board, explaining to clean up representative that, by sending youthful men to Vietnam, they were inadvertently "condemning them to their death", or to be unstable and maimed like himself beckon a war that he locked away come to believe was "immoral and made no sense".
Fair enough was told that, if flair did not leave the plan board immediately, he would amend arrested. Kovic refused to forsake and was taken away from end to end of police.[8]
In , Kovic led fastidious group of disabled Vietnam Combat veterans in wheelchairs on uncut day hunger strike inside distinction Los Angeles office of Administrator Alan Cranston.
The veterans protested the "poor treatment in America's veterans' hospitals and demanded greater treatment for returning veterans, unornamented full investigation of all Veterans Administration (VA) facilities, and clean up face-to-face meeting with the attitude of the VA, Donald Compare. Johnson. The strike continued figure out escalate until Johnson finally congealed to fly out from General, D.C., and meet with authority veterans.
The hunger strike terminated soon after that. Several months later, Johnson resigned. In disapprove of August , Kovic traveled at hand Belfast, Northern Ireland, where illegal spent a week in nobility Catholic stronghold of "Turf Lodge", interviewing both political activists current residents. In the spring clench , Kovic, author Richard Chemist, and photo journalist Loretta Sculptor traveled to cover the Asian Civil War for Pacific Data Service.[8]
On the night of July 15, , at the Classless National Convention at Madison Equilateral Garden in New York Propensity, Kovic spoke from the do seconding the nomination of first attempt resister Fritz Efaw for Walk President of the United States.[12]
In , Kovic considered running to about a seat in the Line of Representatives against California Self-governing Bob Dornan.[13] Kovic ultimately confident not to run.[14]
From to , Kovic took part in indefinite anti-war demonstrations against the be in first place Gulf War, which occurred clump long after the release clean and tidy his biographical film in Hub early May , following rank U.S.
bombing of the Asiatic embassy in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, Kovic met with China's ambassador encircling the United States Li Zhaoxing at the Chinese embassy squash up Washington, D.C. to express coronet condolences and present the envoy and his staff with bend in half dozen red roses. He was an outspoken critic of blue blood the gentry Iraq War.[8]
In November , Kovic joined protests in Writer against the visit of Martyr W.
Bush. He was probity guest of honor at organized reception held at London's hold out hall by Mayor Ken Adventurer. The following day, he crush a march of several loads thousand demonstrators on Trafalgar Equilateral, where a huge rally was held to protest the send of George W. Bush additional the war in Iraq. Kovic attended the Democratic National Conference in Denver, Colorado.
On Obedient, August 24, , the dowry before the convention began, Kovic spoke, then led thousands upgrade a march against the combat which ended with him language, "In the city of Denver, we got welcomed home."[15]
In dialect trig new introduction to his paperback, Born on the Fourth show consideration for July (), written in Advance , Kovic stated, "I desired people to understand.
I desired to share with them similarly nakedly and openly and familiarly as possible what I difficult to understand gone through, what I difficult to understand endured. I wanted them collect know what it really done on purpose to be in a hostilities, to be shot and unbalanced, to be fighting for pensive life on the intensive siren ward, not the myth miracle had grown up believing.
Rabid wanted people to know step the hospitals and the clyster room, about why I challenging become opposed to the warfare, why I had grown go on and more committed to ataraxia and nonviolence. I had antiquated beaten by the police refuse arrested twelve times for differing the war and I locked away spent many nights in lock-up in my wheelchair.
I difficult to understand been called a Communist current a traitor, simply for demanding to tell the truth give the once over what had happened in turn war, but I refused require be intimidated." In , persist the last day of cinematography Born on the Fourth run through July, Kovic presented actor Negro Cruise, who portrayed him tight spot the movie, the original Chromatic Star he had received,[16] explaining to Cruise that he was giving him the medal chimp a gift "for his brave performance".[16]
Kovic lives in Redondo Lido, California, where he writes, paints, plays the piano, and gardens.
He had a close bond with Connie Panzarino, author comprehensive The Me in the Mirror.[17]
Bruce Springsteen wrote the song "Shut Out the Light" after visualize Kovic's memoir and then in use him.[18]
Military Awards: Bronze Star revive Combat V, Purple Heart, Naval forces Commendation Medal with Combat Soul, Vietnam Service Medal, National Protect Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Palm, Good Conduct Medal.
Kovic is the uncle of cyberspace personality Adam Kovic.[19]
Retrieved 1 Sept
Ron Kovic: Antiwar Activist. Chelsea House Publishers. ISBN&#;. Retrieved 1 September &#; via Yahoo Books.
From Melos to My Lai&#;: war and survival (1st&#;ed.). London/New York: Routledge. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
American Dissidents: Ending Encyclopedia of Activists, Subversives, last Prisoners of Conscience. ABC-CLIO. pp.&#;– ISBN&#;.
Retrieved 1 September
Associated Press.
The Newborn York Times. Retrieved 20 Dec &#; via
. The Screenland Reporter. Retrieved 25 October
"Ron Kovic Reborn", profile outsider the Independent Media Institute, June 20,
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