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The Vietnam War was a period of immense upheaval and trauma for American troops. In recognition of the urgent need for psychological support and care for veterans, a therapy culture and narratives of healing began to take shape, acknowledging the psychological potential of revisiting sites of trauma. While there are numerous cases of war veterans returning to Vietnam in search of closure, very few studies have delved into the specific ways in which mobility and movement influence the reconstruction of war memories and their impact on veterans’ healing. This paper aims to examine how the physical act of returning to a place of trauma can be a powerful form of remembrance and healing, potentially leading to a greater understanding of the complex and interconnected nature of trauma and memory. Through a close reading of Larry Heinemann’s memoir Black Virgin Mountain: A Return to Vietnam (2005), this paper seeks to uncover the power and potential of physical movement to manifest and process traumatic memories, and the potential risks involved. Understanding how war memories continue to manifest long after the war has ended is crucial for understanding the healing process and the urgent needs of veterans. It highlights the significance of mobility and movement as active vehicles of remembrance, allowing veterans to navigate the traumas of the past and find closure.

Disabled Vietnam veteran activist Ron Kovic second memoir Hurricane Street (2016) has not garnered the same widespread recognition and readership as Born on the Fourth of July (1976) despite addressing a significant event in disabled veterans’ political history—namely, a hunger strike. The uneven popularity between the two memoirs underscores the existing gap between culturally normalized practices of doing politics among the disabled veterans’ community. While disabled veteran activists have a long history of weaponizing their bodies to express antiwar political statements, hunger strikes have not been a commonly utilized tactic in their activism or remain limited to isolated cases, resulting in a scattered and fragmented understanding of this form of protest. The paper aims to clarify the untapped potential of hunger strikes as a means of political expression for disabled veteran activists. Specifically, it aims to investigate the role of the hunger strike in Kovic’s Hurricane Street, exploring its potential and limitations in helping him navigate the complexities of his war disability. Drawing on Banu Bargu’s theories of necroresistance, this paper argues that Kovic’s protest is a life-affirming manifestation of defiance against the state injustice and an awakening of public consciousness. By delving into Kovic’s experiences and the impact of his hunger strike, this study sheds light on the intersection of disability, activism, and personal identity within the veteran community.