World War II Veterans in Motorsports: World War II Veterans in Motorsports

＂This generation of Americans has a rendezvous with destiny,＂ said President Franklin D. Roosevelt of the young Americans who grew up during the deprivation of the Great Depression and later served during World War II. The 23 described in this book went on from military service to make their mark in auto racing, particularly in the sports car scene of the 1950s and 1960s.

Ken Miles and Vasek Polak were not Americans during the war but later went on to become citizens. Carroll Shelby was not only a great driver but also created cars that are still manufactured. John Von Neumann and Vasek Polak were instrumental in helping to establish Porsche as a marque in the U.S. John Fitch, Ed Hugus, Chuck Daigh, Bill Stroppe, Max Balchowsky, Jay Chamberlain, Jim Peterson and Paul Newman were heroes in the war before succeeding in businesses and motorsports.

Art Evans is a former race car driver, Paramount Communications vice president for production, Army Reservist, police officer and author of a number of books and numerous articles for photography and automotive magazines as well as professional journals. He lives in Redondo Beach, California.