Overview

280 days. 27,106 miles. 317 interviews. 443 names. After getting married, Kevin and Lauren Wallace skipped the usual honeymoon, instead exchanging their condo for an old van that they planned to drive around the country. But this wasn't your typical road trip. Kevin, a veteran who'd received the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star with Valor, and Lauren, an anthropologist, knew they had a calling: to tell the stories of veterans who had sacrificed everything, some of them their lives, and ensure they are never forgotten. Traveling from state to state, they held interviews with Purple Heart veterans, with the Gold Star families left behind, with children who wouldn't let their parents' sacrifices be in vain. Throughout their mission, they memorialized these heroes by painting their names on the van itself, the Van of Valor, for everyone to see. Even when the road got tough, when van breakdowns and heartbreaking conversations threatened to bring an end to their mission, Kevin and Lauren refused to give up. They'd made a promise to these heroes, and they intended to honor it. Van of Valor is a genre-defying narrative that blends oral history and memoir into one unforgettable tribute, taking you along on a momentous cross-country journey. Discover the valiant stories of dozens of veterans-from the beaches of Normandy to the mountains of Afghanistan and the jungles of Vietnam to the streets of Baghdad-who gave their all so you could be free.

Full Product Details

9781971678252

Table of Contents

Reviews

Author Information

Kevin P. Wallace is a retired senior master sergeant in the United States Air Force, a Purple Heart recipient, and a veteran of multiple combat deployments, including Afghanistan. He served as a combat camera operator and public affairs professional, documenting operations in some of the most dangerous environments on earth. His writing has appeared in military publications and veteran advocacy platforms. He is the founder and driver of the Van of Valor mission. L. Wright Wallace is an anthropologist and historian, currently completing her graduate degree at Harvard University. Her research focuses on military families, memory, and the anthropology of grief. Her debut novel, A Wingman for Miss Universe, based on the true story of Vietnam fighter pilot Dennis Peek and Miss USA Sylvia Hitchcock, was published in April 2026. She is the cofounder, researcher, and documentarian of the Van of Valor mission. Together, Kevin and Lauren spent 280 days traveling 27,106 miles across the United States, collecting the stories of 317 Purple Heart recipients and Gold Star family members and memorializing 443 fallen heroes on the sides of their van. They live in North Port, Florida, with their dog, Sunny, where the Van of Valor now rests as a permanent memorial and museum.

Tab Content 6

Countries Available