Army Brat

The lives of Army brats have always been a core component of the US military. Scarcely described until now, Army Brat: World War II is an essential account that fills a major gap in history.
Author Laura Thurston Gutman lived deeply embedded within the US Armed Forces from the United States’ earliest entry into World War II through the Vietnam era. Chronicling pivotal events during those years, this historical autobiography describes a life inextricably intertwined with the military. From her birth at West Point’s hospital, to her cobbled-together education, and witnessing her father’s many military honors, Laura’s childhood was one of intense awareness of the danger her father faced and the courage her mother displayed. As she grew older, she lurked in the background during long evenings of intense discussions of policy. Through the constant upheaval and disruption so familiar to military families, Laura developed a radical independence, a determination to gain control over her life, and a fearless approach to her own education.
Chronicling the experiences of a strong military family as they witness and participate in the unfolding of history in a dangerous and challenging world, Army Brat identifies consequential insights into the critical importance of a strong religious foundation; an educational system dedicated to core concepts of nation and loyalty; and leadership that prioritizes sovereignty, national defense, and military support.

About the Author

Laura Thurston Gutman is a retired pediatrician now living in Durham North Carolina. She lived her childhood as an Army Brat from the outset of World War II through the Vietnam era, often when her family was stationed in postings that included events of deep historical consequence.
She is happily married, also to a physician, and has two daughters with whom she is on close terms. Both daughters emerged into adulthood having escaped the calamities that now so common waylay the young. She looks back at her early life as an Army Brat with intense gratitude.