Before the end of the war in Vietnam was declared on April 30 , 1975 , Kovic became one of the best-known peace activists among the Vietnam veterans , and was arrested 12 times for political protesting . He attended his first peace demonstration soon after the Kent State shootings in May 1970 , and gave his first speech against the war at Levittown Memorial High School in Levittown , Long Island , New York that same spring . Kovic 's speech that day was interrupted by a bomb threat and the auditorium was cleared
Kent State shootings
Kent State shootings
Ron Kovic