Born from War
A Soldier's Quest to Understand Vietnam, Iraq, and the Generational Impact of Conflict
Patrick W. Naughton Jr., Casemate, 2025, 272 pages
Book Review published on: September 9, 2025
For some authors, the naming of their book can be an afterthought or a trivial endeavor. However, the savvy author understands the power and utility a book title can have for not only potential readers but also for themselves. A catchy title can grab the attention of a would-be reader and spark interest in investigating the book more closely. A well-crafted title can set the conditions for readers in what to expect within the book's pages. Finally, an introspective title can enable an author to personalize the volume or provide focus.
One author who clearly appreciates this power and utility is first time book author Patrick Naughton Jr. Within his book, Born from War: A Soldier's Quest to Understand Vietnam, Iraq, and the Generational Impact of Conflict; he capitalizes on the impact of a well-thought-out title. It is a title that sparks interest, provides the author's focus, enables him to personalize his volume, and most importantly, for the construct of this review, sets the conditions for readers as to the content of the book. I will utilize the title to assist in detailing the book's substance and for organization.
Born from War
The volume keys on several related subjects. However, it is the Born from War aspect that is the main effort of the book. This area is essentially the author's passionate desire to understand his father's military service. In particular, it is the pursuit to appreciate his service during the Vietnam War where he served as advisor for the South Vietnamese Army while assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division. It is this service that had such a profound impact on the author's life. The author emphasizes this influence early in the book. He states, "Regardless of my wayward past, if my family had no history and my father had not been a soldier, the thought of joining would never crossed my mind, and I probably would have ended up in jail or worse. Unknowingly, Vietnam set the course of my life, and, in turn, it may set that of my son's—when he matures and is met by a recruiter near a flagpole of his own."1
Within the book, the author reflects on these childhood experiences which greatly influenced his life. In the case of Naughton, it was not so much what his father told him about the war (as with many veterans, he was quite reserved), but the impact his dad's Vietnam War decorations and mementos had on him. He states,
As I sounded out words such as Comat Infantryman's Badge, Heroism in Ground Combat and All the Way, they soaked into my psyche. As I grew older, I began to understand these were military medals—earned by my father Patrick W. Naughton on faraway battlefields discussed only in hushed tones. I attempted to recreate my own combat scenarios in the lush hills surrounding the town of Hilo Hawai'i. Dressed in camouflage and carrying plastic guns, my friends and I chased an imaginary enemy and carried out our own deeds.2
One thing you quickly discover is that Naughton strives to be honest and does not hold back his feelings with readers. This is particularly true with discussions regarding his relationship with his dad. The following excerpt is an excellent example of this. He states,
The relationship between a father and son can be tricky. Emotions and words are often left unspoken, but the bond is ubiquitous and unbreakable. The slew of Vietnam War movies I grew up complicated this further. I somehow believed that unless I joined the military and went to war, he would never see me as an equal. The "bond of brotherhood that can only be formed in combat" nonsense had somehow entrenched itself in my psyche; I have only recently shaken it off. I wonder what ridiculous message will be implanted in my son's head from the future movies, streaming shows, and video games he will eventually be exposed to about my generation's wars.3
Understand Vietnam
Critical to understanding his father's Vietnam experience was the need for Naughton to learn about the war itself. His learning curve in this endeavor was extremely steep. The author alludes to this in the book's prologue. He states,
As I matured and served in my own war, I began to wonder about Vietnam—along with my entire generation, who have only known conflict for the past 20 years in various corners of the world. Like most my age, everything I knew about the conflict was learned from movies. Films such as Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, Hamburger Hill, The Deer Hunter, and Casualties of War, and television shows such as Tour of Duty informed all I knew about the war. Movies such as Rambo and Missing in Action filled out my knowledge.4
The author further explains what this exposure and his military education did to his feelings and thoughts about the Vietnam War. He explains, "As I progressed through the ranks, my professional military education in the Army taught me there was nothing to be learned from the conflict, which was just an ugly speed bump between the Korean War and First Gulf War. Nothing to see here; best to move on."5
To educate himself, he knew he would have to conduct the necessary research, and it is readily evident that it was accomplished. Throughout the book, the author references books, articles, studies, and interviews he conducted to increase his knowledge and understanding of the war his father fought in. It is easy to surmise that his research achieved two things. First, it was instrumental in better understanding his dad and his service in Vietnam. Second, he discovered that there was much to be learned from the Vietnam War, and it was clearly more than a speed bump.
Understand Iraq
I would presume one of the most challenging undertakings for the author was to articulate in writing his understanding of his own war. For those who have seriously thought of their own understanding, you know this can be a difficult endeavor. It is a process that may never be totally complete and is filled with questions and emotions. Now take these thoughts and then put them in a book in a way readers can comprehend. That is a demanding task for any author.
However, I believe readers will find Naughton has conveyed his thoughts in a manner that they can follow and begin to understand. Additionally, he can communicate these thoughts so they do not lose much of the emotional impact that I believe is important. Throughout the book, the author interjects various aspects of his war. This not only includes areas at the personal level but also higher-level decision-making, strategy, etc. For those who served in Iraq, this discussion will certainly spark personal reflection.
Generational Impact of Conflict
Naughton does an excellent job of providing his own perspectives on the impacts of the wars in Vietnam and Iraq/Afghanistan. In analyzing them, he covers a wide array of areas. These include not only the military aspects but also the political, societal, and cultural. Throughout the book, he will address his views or analysis as it may relate to the topic he is discussing. His ability to achieve this is a clear strength and something I will highlight later in the review.
Not only does the author examine each individually, but his comparison of the similarities and differences in the war's impacts is also extremely valuable. In his discussion, he provides his own analysis and offers several important lessons learned that relate to each war. These include government and military communication to the American public and the use of force.
Naughton saves his most impactful comparison toward the end of the book.
Ultimately, what is most shocking is that if almost everything outlined here about Vietnam was replaced with Afghanistan or Iraq, it would accurately describe what happened there too. Will historians one day point to our ventures during the global war on terror as another waypoint in America's decline? Another activity where good intentions resulted in more turmoil in the world and an even more unstable geopolitical environment? Will correlations be drawn between the abandonment of the South Vietnamese and that of the Kurds and Afghanis? The rise of the Khmer Rouge compared to the Islamic State, the reemergence of the Taliban, and an emboldened Russia and China? Only history will tell.6
The strengths of Born from War are many. First, you will find a few books that are written in a more conversant style than this book. This is one of those volumes that is a conversation between the author and his readers. Many times, Naughton makes this a two-way conversation because of his ability to anticipate what the reader would want to know next after one of his discussion points. The easy readability of the volume is a key factor in enabling it to appeal to a diverse audience (military and nonmilitary backgrounds).
As I have addressed earlier, there are several major subject areas Naughton focuses on in this book. His ability to intertwine all these themes throughout is another strength. As many of us have experienced, many authors struggle to combine various elements in a coherent manner. The result is a book that is a challenge for readers to read and comprehend. This is not the case with Born from War. Naughton establishes a superb flow throughout and connections between subject areas are virtually seamless.
The photos utilized in the book, the preponderance in color, are far more than an obligatory, complimentary feature. They are a tremendous addition to the book and a significant strength. Their value comes in several ways. First, they greatly personalize the volume that is invaluable for readers in gaining better perspective. Second, the author has provided superb captions with these photos. Typically, you find captions are an afterthought and normally consist of a few words identifying the people in the picture or the event. Naughton has crafted captions that are substantial and added value in achieving his objectives.
In the book's prologue, Naughton provides readers with a succinct purpose for his book. He affirms, "This is not an antiwar book. Rather, it is an attempt at reconciliation. A quest to understand war and its enduring generational impact, ugliness, and all." The author has unquestionably achieved this and far more. This is a superb book, and it all starts with the title.
Book Review written by: Lt. Col. Rick Baillergeon, U.S. Army, Retired, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
Notes
- Patrick W. Naughton Jr., Born from War: A Soldier's Quest to Understand Vietnam, Iraq, and the Generational Impact of Conflict (Casemate, 2025), 3.
- Naughton, Born from War, xi.
- Naughton, Born from War, 210.
- Naughton, Born from War, xii.
- Naughton, Born from War, xii.
- Naughton, Born from War, 208.
- Naughton, Born from War, xii.