Early Life
Born Donald Patrick Conroy in Atlanta, Georgia USA, he was the eldest of seven children (five boys and two girls) born to Marine Colonel Donald Conroy, of Chicago, and the former Frances "Peggy" Peck of Georgia. Conroy grew up in a military family, moving many times during his childhood and adolescence and never having a hometown, as his family followed his father, a fighter pilot, as he was transferred from military base to military base. Conroy moved 23 times before he was 18 years old.
Conroy has shared that his stories have been heavily influenced by his military brat upbringing, and in particular, difficulties experienced with his own father, a US Marine Corps pilot, who was physically and emotionally abusive toward his children, and the pain of a youth growing up in such a harsh environment is evident in Conroy's novels, particularly The Great Santini. While he was living in Orlando, Florida, Conroy's 5th grade basketball team defeated a team of 6th graders, making the sport his prime outlet for bottled-up emotions for more than a dozen years. Conroy also cites his family's constant military-related moves, and growing up immersed in military culture as significant influences in his life (in both positive and negative ways).
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