Book Review: Laura Kalpakian's 'Undesirable' on Vietnam War Legacy
Book review: ‘Undesirable: The Vietnam War and a Father’s Battle for Justice’
Laura Kalpakian's memoir "Undesirable" chronicles her brother Douglas Scott Johnson's struggle after returning from the Vietnam War with an undesirable discharge, and their father's three-year campaign to restore his military record. The book draws from hundreds of preserved letters and documents as William Jess Johnson petitioned senators, military officials, and the White House in hopes of clearing his son's name and future prospects.
Kalpakian reconstructs the family's private struggle while acknowledging gaps in the historical record. The narrative avoids reducing Douglas to either hero or villain, tracing the author's evolving understanding from anger toward compassion. The book features Armenian-American lawyer Robert Mardian, who assisted the family after his own experience clearing his name following Watergate conviction. Ultimately, the memoir serves as a memorial to Douglas, who died in 2021, exploring themes of institutional justice, familial love, and the Vietnam War's lasting psychological toll.
