Author’s Biography

Patrick Hogan was stationed in South Vietnam from September 1966 through June 1969. While there he earned the rank of staff sergeant E-6 and was awarded the Army Commendation Medal by the Secretary of the US Army Stanley R. Resor.

Shortly after being discharged from the army in August 1975, Patrick was appointed to the Teaneck Police Department as a law enforcement officer.

During his police career, he attended Fairleigh Dickenson University where he earned an associate in arts degree with honors. Patrick has also completed training programs at many law enforcement educational facilities such as John Jay College of Criminal Justice, the New Jersey State Police Academy, and the New England Institute of Law Enforcement and Management (Babson College). In addition to his educational accomplishments, he is a State of New Jersey certified police training and firearms instructor.

Initially, writing a book about the Vietnam War, his life and his search for God was the furthest thing from his mind. Shortly after returning from Vietnam, his father urged him to file a disability claim with the Department of Veterans Affairs regarding the medical problems he had been experiencing. But he wouldn’t re-visit his disability claims until after watching a speech given by President Barack Obama on the fiftieth anniversary of the Vietnam War.

Patrick felt an urgency to commit himself to investigating the causal link between his exposures to Agent Orange and the myriad health problems plaguing not only his life but the lives of many other Vietnam veterans. Starting with the death of his friend and fellow veteran Larry, the concept for Silent Spring—Deadly Autumn of the Vietnam War was born, and out of sheer exasperation and sorrow, a reluctant writer emerged trying to help other Vietnam Veterans fighting with the DVA.

After finishing Silent Spring—Deadly Autumn of the Vietnam War, he started work on Coincidence, you say?, but was sidetracked with submissions to the DVA and his illnesses. Once the DVA had adjudicated his medical issues and his health stabilized he finished the work.