Born From War

“As a father and a multi-tour Vietnam veteran, I struggled to explain my war and my voluntary service in it to my children. Reading about author Patrick Naughton’s similar experiences in his family helped me understand that broad generational gap that confounded so many of us between our war and what was faced by younger veterans of America’s global war on terror. What we had between seminal events was more than a simple failure to communicate. The insights provided by Naughton’s Born from War are enlightening and invaluable.” ~Capt. Dale Dye, USMC (Ret.), author, actor and filmmaker

"Patrick W. Naughton Jr., a soldier and historian, has written an interesting and credible personalized history of the wars in Vietnam and Iraq from a family perspective—his father’s in Vietnam and his own in Iraq.... The parallels that he draws between Vietnam and Iraq illustrate how we humans are apparently doomed as a nation to not learn from our mistakes. Thank you for writing this book." ~J. Craig Venter, PhD, author of "A Life Decoded" and National Medal of Science recipient (2008)

"As an older veteran, I find this book invaluable to understanding the plight and sacrifices of American soldiers today, returning to a changing American society during countless, and sometimes thankless and often misunderstood overseas tours of duty. The author underscores the enduring values of duty, honor and love of country during this difficult period of history that we all face together. Highly recommended!" ~Albert Santoli, professor of Cultural Intelligence at the Institute of World Politics; veteran and author of "Everything We Had: An Oral History of the Vietnam War"

"Naughton has written an exceptionally profound, moving, and important book. Drawing on his father’s military experiences in Vietnam and his own in the Middle East, he provides an authentic but sympathetic exploration of war’s impact on individuals and families. Reflective, honest, filled with anecdotes that are sometimes tragic, sometimes humorous, but always insightful, this book will be remembered by all who read it." ~Brian McAllister Linn, PhD, Professor of History (ret’d), Texas A&M University

“Born From War is the story of a father and son at war. The story of Vietnam is told through the eyes of one soldier by his son who relates his father’s conflict through the prism of his own wartime experience in Iraq. It is the personal and moving story of the timelessness of war for fathers and sons despite the differences in their respective conflicts. It is an engaging human story highly recommended for anyone seeking to understand the real-life impact of America’s wars from those who fought them and their families back home.” ~James H. Willbanks, PhD, Vietnam Combat Veteran and author of "Abandoning Vietnam" and "A Raid Too Far"

“Born from War is a compelling, first-hand account of how the experience of conflict has an enduring impact on the families of those who serve. Patrick Naughton offers an understanding of the Vietnam War for a new generation who themselves have just lived through decades of conflict... This is a must-read book for anyone looking to understand how Vietnam, and now Iraq and Afghanistan, will continue to influence the families of those who served and foreign policy decisions for decades to come." ~Richard Keller, Lieutenant General, US Army (Ret.), Chief of Staff of US European Command, and a veteran of the Vietnam War

“Born from War deftly weaves parallel American wartime experiences between a father (Vietnam) and a son (Iraq). The book is a deep, unflinching examination of what made these two combat veterans and, in the larger sense, two wars tick. It’s an intriguing read that I highly recommend.” ~Chris McKinney, author of the Water City Trilogy and "The Tattoo"

“Told through one Hawai’i family’s experience in Vietnam and America’s global war on terror, Patrick Naughton provides an interesting and thoughtful analysis about the generational influence of service. The author's father and I voluntarily went through Reserve Officer Training Corps together and then served in Vietnam at the same time, thereby proudly joining the ranks of thousands of others from our island home who fought for our country. From the draft to the all-volunteer force, this story will resonate with the countless Hawai’i families whose sons and daughters answered the call to serve in both conflicts.” ~Clarence M. Agena, Brigadier General, US Army (Ret.) and a veteran of the Vietnam War

 “Naughton traces the legacies and lessons of two wars—his and his father’s—in this thoughtful, insightful, and important book. Born from War is a must read for anyone interested in America’s modern wars.” ~Dr. Robert K. Brigham, Shirley Ecker Boskey Professor of History and International Relations Vassar College and author of "ARVN: Life and Death in the South Vietnamese Army"

“Fathers and sons have gone to war for America for generations, yet none has shared their journey like Patrick Naughton’s Born from War. From the jungles of Vietnam to the streets of Baghdad, Naughton takes us through America’s longest and most controversial wars, detailing the pain and sacrifice of families in the name of freedom. This is a must read especially for those who never got affected by these modern overseas conflicts.” ~Quang X. Pham, author of "Underdog Nation: Zero in on Effort and Results for Success and A Sense of Duty: Our Journey from Vietnam"

"This book should be required reading for any policymaker faced with the prospect of sending Americans to war with a cause that is worthy of their sacrifice. There is no better source for understanding war than an army officer who has been on the ground in a combat zone trying to relate his father’s experience as an officer with the 82nd Airborne in Vietnam. Teachable points abound in these well-researched pages, which are laden with uncanny parallels of wars fought three decades apart. Nothing is learned by forgetting." ~Robert J. Dvorchak, journalist, army veteran, and author of "The Golden Brigade: The Untold Story of the 82nd Airborne in Vietnam and Beyond"

"A simple yet powerful guide to policy makers about maintaining the support of the people when the decision for war is taken. Naughton’s book made me think. It is a worthy contribution to not only American military history, but also a thoughtful work on how going to war changes people and their families." ~Kevin Benson, Colonel, US Army (Ret.), author of "Expectation of Valor: Planning for the Iraq War"