About the Book
Fight On! puts the reader into the eye of the storm. Have a seat as Hitler gives one of his speeches. Arouse the ire of a German general in charge of a panzer division invading Czechoslovakia. Observe the political scene in Washington D.C. with some of the most important men of that day. Be there when Congress debates entering the war. Discover German U-Boats along the U.S.'s Atlantic and Gulf coastlines. Fly support for the Enola Gay on her historic, fateful flight. Learn of the Cold War from the perspective of an Ambassador who saw it firsthand. Join someone who had forays into the fringes of international intrigue, espionage, and general mischief during that historic period. Essentially an autobiography, Fight On! reads more like a fast-paced fiction thriller, with historical (military and intelligence services behind the scenes machinations), societal, philosophical themes, action-based facts, and the personal attention and interpretation of the author. From his early years to his last days, Hubbard's life is a string of serendipitous encounters that rivals the fictional Forrest Gump. The narrative is straightforward and practical and yet readers can feel the incredibly deep emotions running through Hubbard as he encountered and surveyed the sites of numerous atrocities. Especially intriguing is how a man of academia could become caught up in the "spy game" and the "cloak and dagger" world that it encompasses. Jack's sojourn in Scandinavia, his meetings with one of the world's richest men, and his attendance at the 1952 Olympics at the height of Soviet - U.S. tensions truly bears out the old adage that "truth is stranger than fiction".
Students of American and world history will be surprised at the details of behind-the-scenes events with every turn of the page. With Hubbard's visceral attention to detail, previously glossed over or ignored by historians and politicians, his ability to put it into perspective, Fight On! is impossible to ignore or put aside once you start reading.
About the Author :
Award-winning and bestselling author George U. Hubbard spent his life as an educator. Writing was his avocation. After completing his tour of duty in the United States Army during the Korean War, George taught junior high school mathematics briefly before being recruited by corporate America at the dawn of the computer age. IBM lured him away from Lockheed, but after 32 years teaching and training both IBM employees and clients, he retired to focus on his true passions - writing and academia. He retired again from Texas Woman's University where he taught statistics.George holds a PhD from the University of North Texas, an MS - Statistics from Stanford University, and an MS and BSEE from The University of Texas. He is the author of numerous newspaper, magazine and journal articles and books. A native Texan who received his public education in Denton, TX, then earned all of his degrees at The University of Texas, John Randolph Hubbard, better known as Jack, was a naval aviator during World War II. His life after the war as an educator. In 1950 he received a PhD in History from the University of Texas. He then taught at Louisiana State University, Tulane, and Yale. Moving into administration, he became Dean of Sophie Newcomb College in New Orleans in 1953. He held that post for twelve years before joining the U. S. State Department going to India for four years with the Education Division of the Department's Agency for International Development. In 1969 Jack accepted a position at the University of Southern California (USC) as Vice President for Academic Affairs, and he spent the decade of the 1970s as President of that institution before retiring in 1980. When he retired as President of USC, he did not retire as a history professor. He continued teaching British History at USC until he was 91 years old taking a one (1) year sabbatical to serve as U.S. Ambassador to India from December 1988 - November 1989. John R. Jack Hubbard passed away on August 21, 2011.As a naval aviator from 1941 - 1946, Hubbard served first in the Atlantic and then in the Pacific where he was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross and three Bronze Stars. In the air 100 miles off the coast of Japan when the atomic bomb was dropped over Hiroshima, he witnessed the event and felt the reverberations of the air turbulence while flying search and rescue in support of the crew of the Enola Gay.After the war, he continued his service as a naval aviator in the Naval Reserves from 1946 - 1956. In the fall of 1948, Hubbard spent his two weeks of active duty flying in the Berlin Air Lift - the largest humanitarian aid mission the world had ever seen and the first major battle of the Cold War.Jack Hubbard's memoirs of the War Years open in 1939 in Washington, D. C. where he is employed as private secretary to Walter Splawn, Director of the Interstate Commerce Commission. Through the influence and generosity of Splawn, Jack has an available front row seat to most of the important events of that time period. As a result, the rumblings of war ring loudly in his ears, and he responds by enlisting in the U. S. Naval Air Corps in 1940, a year and a half before Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor.As a historian, Jack Hubbard understood the importance of incorporating personalities, activities, and interpersonal relationships into his story for it is only through this integration that the audience can begin to grasp the enormity of the world stage on which his story is played out, where the dichotomy of the invincible champion of freedom and the mantra that there may be no tomorrow belie the caliber of men with whom Jack served. Besides telling a gripping story that makes for fascinating reading, his memoirs also provide a helpful understanding of the times and events beyond that found in most history books. The majority of Elizabeth's career has been in the research and development of new technology-based products, most recently in the field of technology-based education and curriculum development. Elizabeth is the owner of Punaluu Data, LLC whose mission is to provide research, writing, editing, consulting and training assistance. She has developed life skills seminars/workshops utilizing gaming and simulations for public and private enterprises including Texas Workforce Solutions, State of Texas Department of Rehabilitative Services, The University of Texas at Dallas, and Utah Valley University. She founded 1 $ Wiser Consumer Education, Inc., a non-profit organization approved by the U.S. Department of Justice as a provider of budget and credit counseling and personal financial management education in which she pioneered the incorporation of browser-based gaming and simulations into the online curriculum. Elizabeth has co-authored several journal articles on the use of gaming and simulations in education.
Review :
John Hubbard was one of the most good-spirited, enthusiastic, and fascinating teachers I ever had. He was full of appreciation for history, convinced of its importance, and never, ever boring about it. And that same strength and appeal are to be found throughout this delightful book. He was an extremely interesting man who led an extremely interesting, adventurous life and its' all here.
- David McCullough, author of Truman and John Adams
Jack Hubbard's life reads like an adventure novel; a fast-paced history of a man and a country back when great men walked the Earth.
Steven R. Travers, author of The Duke, The Longhorns, and Chairman Mao
My highest recommendation and gratitude to LtCdr Hubbard - a pioneer in the development of tactics, techniques, and procedures to Naval Aviation. His memoirs sizzle with action-packed energy and are a quick read. As one of the Greatest Generation society has ever produced, Jack was one of the men and women who did not fight for fame or recognition but because it was the right thing to do.
Brad Hildreth, Colonel, Aviation, US Army Retired
Just think of it! A true story in the W.E.B. Griffin style. I couldn't put it down.
Jim Sitton, LtCdr, US Navy Reserve Retired (Naval Aviator)
Fight On! is an amazing read. As an academic historian, I was mesmerized by the clarity of detail and recollection this book contains. As a World War II buff, I was enthralled by the history of the development, preparation, and execution of Naval Aviation and the role these aviators played in the conflict. Dr. Hubbard is an avid and voracious storyteller who was able to bring these distant events to life, just as if we were sitting down and conversing with each other.
Richard Drieling, PhD
Fight On! World War II and Cold War Experiences of Lt. Commander John R. "Jack" Hubbard is divided into three parts, the book takes us along as Jack's life unfolds in a fascinating series of serendipitous encounters rarely equaled by others in history. His memoirs reflect his erudite grasp of events and surroundings providing us a string of serendipitous encounters that rivals the fictional Forrest Gump. It is rare reading a warrior's report of a battle in such elegant prose, imminently readable, and refreshingly erudite; in no way condescending - or boring. Hubbard recorded the most coherent narrative on WWII Pacific I've ever read, from personal eyes-on descriptions of the strategic war. The life he recorded reads like the best action/adventure novel you can imagine. A staccato of gripping events and engaging characters that keep us turning the pages like a Tom Clancy or W.E.B. Griffin novel.
Tom Gauthier
