American Patriot: The Life and Wars of Colonel Bud Day

Robert Coram's American Patriot, The Life and Wars of Colonel Bud Day, successfully introduces its readers to a real American war hero. Coram's biography of Colonel (Col) (Retired) George "Bud" Everette Day is empowering. It is equally humbling, as readers are surrounded by Col Day's unwavering strength and endless achievements. Colonel Day is a Marine, an Army officer, an Air Force fighter pilot, a Vietnam Prisoner of War (POW), a Medal of Honor winner, and an accomplished attorney. This biography is not only engrossing to a casual reader, but Col Day's story is highly relevant to military men and women today, as this nation continues to fight the war on terrorism.

Readers serving in the military will be immediately struck by American Patriot's simple and obvious message. Donning a military uniform in this country is like signing a contract. This contract demands those wearing it to "live their lives based on clear values--a code of honor and loyalty, a patriotism, a commitment, and a discipline that place[s] them on a moral high ground." (3) While this message may not sound profound or original, Coram's book about Col Day's life gives this old theory new meaning. It compels military members to critically ask themselves if they truly understand what it means to live this way, even when it seems impossible. More specifically, this book forces those wearing a uniform to take a cold, hard look in the mirror and question their own ability to comply with the Code of Conduct upon capture and "[r]eturn with honor." (4)

Coram's American Patriot has three major weaknesses and three major strengths. Its first weakness is that Col Day's life story is abruptly ended with a lengthy description of a documentary against Senator John Kerry, which contributes little to support Coram's ultimate message. Second, Coram glosses over Col Day's heavy involvement in the changes made to the Code of Conduct following Vietnam, even though this fact is extremely relevant to his message. Finally, Coram makes a distracting contradiction throughout his book, when he insinuates that Col Day is straight-lined, yet describes the life of a rebel. Ironically, this last weakness is also this book's first major strength. Coram's depiction of Col Day as someone who does not always walk the straight and narrow, prevents readers from viewing Col Day as extraordinary and makes him a human being to emulate. A second strength is that Coram relied on many different sources to write Col Day's story, even those sources who may ultimately disagree with his message. Finally, as stated above, Coram's biography has relevance and applicability to today's military.

Coram spends eighteen well-organized chapters in American Patriot describing how Col Day spent his life swimming upstream to reach the "moral high ground." (5) Colonel Day grew up watching his father emotionally abuse his mother and sister and defending himself against bullies. He disobeyed his father and dropped out of school at seventeen to enlist in the Marines, standing at just five foot two and weighing a mere 116 pounds. (6) Later, as an Air Force officer, Col Day was sent to Vietnam where he commanded an elite flying outfit called Misty (7) and was shot out of the sky by a missile. Colonel Day was captured by the North Vietnamese and spent nearly six grueling years as a POW. (8) After his release, Col Day sued the government he so bravely defended, when he discovered that the military had reneged on their promise of free medical care for life. (9) American Patriot's final chapter is devoted to Col Day's movement against Senator Kerry during the 2004 Presidential Campaign. (10) More specifically, Coram describes Col Day's involvement in a documentary regarding Senator Kerry's 1971 statement before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. (11)

It is obvious that Col Day has nothing but complete disdain for Senator Kerry. It is further true that Col Day has devoted time to spreading his opinion that Senator Kerry is a traitor and that electing him as the President in 2004 would have been "[r]idiculous[, u]nthinkable[, u]nbelievable[, and o]utrageous." (12) However, concluding this biography with an entire chapter devoted to Col Day's efforts to thwart Senator Kerry in 2004 seems to deflate the intended message that Col Day is a military man with "clear values" who lives "on a moral high ground." (13) Quite frankly, this chapter makes Col Day seem petty and vengeful and has little relevance or applicability to today's readers.

The fact that Senator Kerry's testimony was used by North Vietnamese captors to substantiate their belief that the American POWs were criminals (14) and referred to when the POWs were "called to quiz," (15) provides readers with all they need to understand why this war hero hates Senator Kerry. Instead of expanding on Col Day's disdain for this man by describing his efforts to undermine Senator Kerry, Coram should have focused on a topic that lends support to his message and is more relevant and applicable to today's military.