"Born on the Fourth of July" was written in Santa Monica, California, during the fall of 1974 in exactly one month, three weeks and two days.It tells the story of Kovic's life growing up in Massapequa, New York, joining the United States Marine Corps right out of high school, going to Vietnam for two tours of duty, getting shot, finding himself paralyzed and in need of a wheelchair, and eventually starting a new life as a peace activist.