Red Burning Sky

Written with palm-sweating intensity from a seasoned air combat veteran whose prose puts you right in the cockpit, this highly praised historical thriller highlights the heroism and bravery of Allied soldiers in a forgotten chapter of World War II.

A powerfully authentic and thrilling saga based on the true story of Operation Halyard, WWII's most daring and successful rescue mission, from air combat veteran and acclaimed author Tom Young...
 
Summer 1944: Yugoslavia is locked in a war within a war. In addition to fighting the German occupation, warring factions battle each other. Hundreds of Allied airmen have been shot down over this volatile region, among them American lieutenant Bill Bogdonavich. Though grateful to the locals who are risking their lives to shelter and protect him from German troops, Bogdonavich dreams of the impossible: escape.
 
With three failed air missions behind him, Lieutenant Drew Carlton is desperate for redemption. From a Texas airbase he volunteers for a secretive and dangerous assignment, codenamed Operation Halyard, that will bring together American special operations officers, airmen, and local guerilla fighters in Yugoslavia’s green hills. This daring plan—to evacuate hundreds of stranded airmen while avoiding detection by the Germans—faces overwhelming odds. What follows is one of the greatest stories of World War II heroism, an elaborate rescue that required astonishing courage, sacrifice, and resilience.

Tom Young is the highly acclaimed author of historical fiction and military thrillers. He served in Afghanistan and Iraq with the Air  National Guard and logged nearly 5,000 hours flying missions in Bosnia, Kosovo, Latin America, the horn of Africa, and the Far  East. His military honors include three Air Medals, three Aerial Achievement Medals, and the Air Force Combat Action Medal,  and he retired from the military as a Senior Master Sergeant. In civilian life, Young spent ten years as a writer and editor with the  broadcast division of the Associated Press, and he works as an airline pilot based at Reagan National Airport near Washington,  D.C. He is a member of The National Press Club, The Authors Guild and International Thriller Writers, and is a vice commander of American Legion Post 20. More information about Tom Young and his work can be found online at TomYoungBooks.com.