When Heroes Flew

An award-winning novel of extraordinary bravery, inspired by the true story of one of the most harrowing air raids ever flown. Fans of Beneath A Scarlet Sky, The Nightingale, and Unbroken will enjoy this unforgettable tale of duty, honor, and compassion. "...a bravura performance..." -Dwight Jon Zimmerman, New York Times bestselling author For B-24 bomber pilot Al Lycoming, the mission was history in the making. For Women's Airforce Service Pilot Vivian Wright, it was a chance to put her skills to the ultimate test...and share in the burden of combat. Dispatched to Benghazi on mysterious orders, Al Lycoming finds nearly 200 other B-24 bombers being assembled...and a top secret assignment that will catapult them all into seemingly impenetrable Nazi defenses. Their mission: a daring low-level attack on Hitler's extensive oil refineries. But when his co-pilot falls ill at the last moment, Al secretly finds help from an unlikely source-Vivian. Together, the two fly towards dark skies filled with enemy flak and fighters...and into the pages of history. With perspectives from American and German pilots alike, When Heroes Flew masterfully weaves together one of the most dangerous and incredible aerial operations of World War Two with a riveting tale of bravery, suspense, and self-sacrifice.

A legendary WWII airlift mission cuts through the snaggletoothed Himalaya Mountains, where both the terrain and weather prove uncommonly savage. And American airmen leave a trail of blood and mangled aircraft across northern Burma. "I would rather fly a fighter against the Japs three times a day than a transport over the Hump once." Aviator Major Rod Shepherd, a C-46 pilot and Army Air Forces weather officer, flings his aircraft into the tumultuous skies to fly critical missions over the Hump. He braves not only the extreme-even impossible-flying conditions, but commanders who believe weather support is useless and a flight nurse who, for reasons unknown to Rod, dislikes him intensely. Rod risks incredible danger with every flight. But when a mission of grave importance is imperiled at high altitude, Rod faces an unthinkable dilemma. Former Air Force officer H. W. "Buzz" Bernard sweeps listeners into some of the most dangerous flying of WWII in The Roof of the World, winner of the Nancy Pearl Book Award and recipient of the 2023 MWSA Gold Medal. Join Major Rod Shepherd in the cockpit to experience history firsthand.

Down a Dark Road, winner of the 2024 MWSA Gold Medal, transports listeners to the shadowy forests of WWII Austria, where a weary and battle-worn Army platoon is about to discover the war's darkest secret . . . " . . . a gut punch of a novel. A tale of war's end, when the bill comes due in blood . . . " -Reed Farrel Coleman, New York Times bestselling author of Sleepless City As the war in Europe draws to a close, young Army lieutenant Jim Thayer finds himself and his platoon on the point of the American advance into Austria. Jim and his men are no strangers to the horror of war. But what they find hidden in the forests of Western Austria is beyond anything they have yet experienced. Battling remnants of the legendary Waffen SS, Germany's elite fighting force, Jim and his men come face to face with the cruel brutality of the Nazi regime. And bear witness to the fields of death left in its wake. Determined to hunt down the architect of this atrocity, Jim dispatches an unofficial team of unlikely allies-an American bomber pilot, a German Luftwaffe fighter pilot, and a young Austrian woman. The war may be ending. But for these strange comrades in arms, the final battle has only just begun.

Amidst the turmoil of World War II, a daring Army Air Forces aviator is swept into an odyssey that will carry him to the far corners of the earth. Military duty and personal quest converge in this remarkable tale of grit and perseverance. Despite suffering grave injuries in the savage terrain of Burma, Major Rod Shepherd is returned to active duty to support war efforts against Japan. But his mission extends beyond official orders: Rod is determined to locate missing Army nurse, Eve Johannsen, even as top Army brass deny her very existence. Rod's primary mission sees him braving treacherous flight conditions and grappling with the horrors of the Japanese regime-all while he conducts his clandestine search for answers. In the end, Rod must risk challenging the highest levels of command if he has any hope of learning the truth . . . and finding Eve. In Where the Dawn Comes Up like Thunder, the latest installment of the When Heroes Flew series, former Air Force officer H.W. "Buzz" Bernard immerses listeners in the heart-pounding aerial exploits of WWII.

As one of the masterminds behind the US 8th Air Force's daring raids into Nazi Germany, Colonel Matt Barrington is accustomed to making decisions that send men to their deaths. But when a mission goes terribly wrong, resulting in the loss of sixty bombers, the weight of command threatens to crush him. Seeking solace from his guilt-ridden insomnia, Matt finds unexpected comfort in the arms of Charlotte, an English widow, who understands the true cost of the war. Their budding romance offers a glimmer of hope amidst the chaos of conflict. But as the casualties mount, Matt realizes he can no longer lead from behind a desk. Determined to share in the risks his men face, Matt volunteers for a dangerous bombing raid, returning to the skies alongside the soldiers he sends into battle. But surviving one mission only deepens the weight of his guilt. Haunted by loss and driven by an unyielding sense of duty, Matt defies direct orders and enters the cockpit once more. In a heart-stopping raid high above occupied Europe, he faces not only the lethal forces of the Luftwaffe and their deadly new weapons, but also the demons that have long plagued him-and his last chance at a future with Charlotte. As flak bursts around his B-17 and enemy fighters close in, Matt must confront the ultimate question: In the crucible of war, can one man's actions truly make a difference?