Podcast
This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von
During the episode, Jocko Willink discussed the title with Theo Von, highlighting the tragic story of a Vietnam veteran who was severely wounded, struggled with chronic pain and addiction, and ultimately took his own life. The conversation focused on the veteran's personal hardships rather than promoting the book, presenting it as a sobering account of his post‑war experience.
Episode: Jocko Willink | This Past Weekend #120
Lewis Puller, son of the famous Marine, Chesty Puller, was badly wounded in Vietnam. The book tells of his struggles and eventual suicide.
And that story, as a matter of fact, I did a series of podcasts. And that's Plum, you said? No. So this is a guy named Lewis Puller. And what's interesting about Lewis Puller, and I did a series of podcasts, three podcasts. The first one was podcast number 121.
It's called fortunate son by Lewis Puller.
And then the book ends, but the book doesn't end there. The story doesn't end there because Lewis Puller two or three years later, he falls out of his wheelchair and he breaks his hip and they bring him to the hospital and they put him back on painkillers and he starts drinking again and he kills himself.