Karl Marlantes, a former Marine and the author of the best-selling Vietnam War novel Matterhorn, will receive the Excellence in the Arts Award at Vietnam Veterans of America’s National Leadership Conference at the Omni Hotel in Irving, Texas. Marlantes, a former Rhodes Scholar, served for a year as a Marine Lieutenant in Vietnam, where he was severely wounded and was awarded the Navy Cross. He will receive the honor at the Awards Banquet on Saturday evening, August 11.
“Karl Marlantes is richly deserving of this award,” said Vietnam Veterans of America President John Rowan. “It took him more than thirty years to write Matterhorn, but it was well worth the wait. This is an extremely powerful literary novel that shows war as it truly is.”
Marlantes will sign copies of Matterhorn, as well as his acclaimed nonfiction book, What It is Like to Go to War, on Saturday afternoon beginning at noon. The book signing event is open to the public.
Hundreds of Vietnam veteran leaders will come together at the Omni Hotel to take part in Leadership Conference’s seminars, meetings, and other activities. The Opening Ceremonies will be held Wednesday morning, August 8. Steve Kroft, the renowned “Sixty Minutes” television correspondent who served as an Army journalist in the Vietnam War, will deliver the Keynote Speech. VVA’s supporting organization, the Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America (AVVA), is co-sponsoring the conference.
