A PROUD AMERICAN
The Autobiography of Joe Foss
Joe Foss,
with Donna Wild Foss
NF/NF. (Simon & Schuster, 1992). 384 pages.
Fifty years ago, Joe Foss achieved international fame as America's top fighter pilot - the ace of aces - receiving the Congressional Medal of Honor and appearing on the cover of Life magazine. That was only the beginning. The challenges and triumphs have continued in a dazzling range of careers: military leader, political powerhouse, innovative sports magnate, popular television celebrity, successful executive. Today Joe Foss still lives the American dream, appearing recently on the cover of Time magazine - a stunning testament to a genuine American hero. Now, with his wife and coauthor Donna Wild Foss, Joe Foss tells the thrilling story of his extraordinary life - a story told with the same spirit, savvy and inspiration that enabled him to overcome every obstacle and reach for the sky. Joe grew up on a South Dakota farm, son of a Scotch-Irish mother who taught him the virtues of independence and hard work and of a charismatic Norwegian father who instilled in him a sense of honor and adventure. Following his father's tragic death, Joe worked his way through college and enlisted in the Marine Corps. In Guadalcanal, Captain Joe's "Flying Circus" squadron became one of the most successful airborne fighting units in Marine history. He went on to establish himself as America's ace of aces with twenty-six confirmed kills, surpassing the record set in the First World War by the legendary Eddie Rickenbacker. After his triumphant return home, Joe entered another war zone - politics - and became South Dakota's youngest governor, serving two terms. In the 1960s Joe Foss became the first commissioner of the American Football League and played a vital role in the establishment of the AFL's eight original teams, including the Houston Oilers, Denver Broncos, and Buffalo Bills. He was also the driving force behind the creation of what has become the single most compelling event in American sports: the Super Bowl.
OUT OF PRINT.
$65.00
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