"Dauntless is the story of Clayton Paul Hilliard. A poor farm boy from Wisconsin, he enlisted in the US Marine Corps at the tender age of 17, served in the Pacific Theater as an aviator, and came home and went to university on the GI Bill. His education was a springboard into a very successful career as an entrepreneur, independent oil man, and industry leader. Always looking for ways to give back, he also became a philanthropist and generous donor to educational and cultural institutions in Southern Louisiana. Paul's story can only come to life when set against the times in which he lived. In that spirit, Dauntless examines the history of the period in some detail: the impact of World War II on the US, the importance of the GI Bill in expanding access to higher education, the development of the oil industry from the 1950s to our own day. In short, the book is as much history as it is a personal biography. World War II not only extended US power over the globe, it greatly expanded opportunities for the American people. If there is one overriding thesis to Dauntless, it is that the war not only broadened America's horizons, but Paul Hilliard's as well. His career and success are both inconceivable without the educational and economic opportunities created by the war"--