Being a (relative) newcomer to the West, I've watched "Forrest Gump" for the first time only a few weeks ago. The character did not strike me as particularly patriotic. Honest to a fault and slow, but not gung-ho at all. Good for his country, but not thinking about it. I don't think he says anyting about home, or country, or freedom for the entire duration of the film.
By the way, there was that thing that was making rounds in parenting magasines a few years ago: Emotional IQ. On that scale, FG is not even dumb.