In full: Ronald Lawrence Kovic (Show more) Born: July 4, 1946, Ladysmith, Wisconsin, U.S. (Show more) Ron Kovic (born July 4, 1946, Ladysmith, Wisconsin, U.S.) is a Vietnam War veteran, activist, and author who became a leading antiwar figure in the 1970s. Kovic had been wounded and paralyzed during his service in the war. In 1976 he detailed his experiences in the best-selling memoir Born on the Fourth of July, which was adapted into an Academy Award-winning film by Oliver Stone in 1989. The second oldest of six children, Kovic was born in Wisconsin but grew up in Massapequa on Long Island in New York. Kovic’s mother, Patricia, was a stay-at-home mom. His dad, Eli, was ...(100 of 1591 words) Access the full article Help support true facts by becoming a member. Subscribe today!