American Patriot: The Life and Wars of Colonel Bud Day

This is one of the greatest non-fiction books I’ve ever read. I think it should be required reading in high school, and I think it’s OK for mature middle schoolers.

George “Bud” Day is the most decorated officer in the modern history of the U.S. military, having won (this is a chest seriously full of medals and ribbons) the Medal of Honor, Air Force Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal for Valor with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Bronze Star Medal for Merit, Purple Heart with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Medal with nine Oak Leaf Clusters, National Order of Vietnam, Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm, and Prisoner of War Medal).

His story is a great and grueling adventure and his determination is something all kids should aspire to. I think kids will enjoy the way the book is written much more than the typical biography, and I also think they’ll get the message about what it means to be an American, to have dreams, and to work hard.

Read the reviews at Amazon.com. It’s truly an inspirational tale, and though I rarely read a book twice, since I flew through it in one weekend before, I think I’ll read it again. Interestingly, this book has relevant information that affects our current political climate and how our country is being governed. If you vote, if you care about politics at all, you should also read this book for the historical perspective it provides about war and the treatment of our soldiers past and present.

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