POSTPONED TO DATE UNCERTAIN IN EARLY 2015: Old Capitol Books is hosting author Brig. Gen. Oscar A Hurt, author of From Clod Buster to Cloud Chaser.
This is the story of a young farm boy who grew up during the Great Depression and demonstrates these essentials as he pursues a dream in aviation to become a brigadier general in the Air Force and a commercial pilot as well. His path to success was punctuated with detours and many forks in the road but it demonstrates that, in America, you can live your dream.
Story Background
From Clod Buster to Cloud Chaser may appear to be and, in fact, does serve as an abbreviated thumbnail biographical sketch of the life of the author. However it was written to motivate the reader and to support the writer’s absolute conviction that, in this wonderful country of America, anyone can aspire to live their dreams with reasonable hope and expectation of bringing them to fruition. Humble beginnings and birthright are but minor factors on a stage where decisiveness and tenacity, self confidence, and above all, courage are essential elements for success. Willingness to suffer sacrifices and endure hardship is critical. And sometimes when it may seem that there is no hope, a benefactor’s compassion, belief, or unanticipated support may become the saving grace.
General Hurt uses incidents from his working life to substantiate his theory and the story is replete with obstructions, road blocks, forks in the road and life threatening hazards as he completes over twenty two thousand hours of flying time, 30 years of Air Force service and a full career with a commercial airline. Among these is an incident in which an instructor’s compassion saved him from elimination from the Aviation Cadet program and another in which he cites an example of personal ingenuity when, at the age of 31, he was within twenty four hours of permanent grounding from the Air Force for physical reasons. In the end he faces a situation offering potential for the ultimate culmlination of his life’s work but ethical concerns predominate and he terminates his career short of the top rung of the ladder.
Post-retirement evaluation of his life discloses his satisfaction with the the life and times he lived and reiteration of the strong belief that most people are capable of life and events well beyond their personal confidence and current operating level. His advice is “if you dream of a different (perhaps better) life – go for it“.
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