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Rolling Thunder

Page 1

by Mark Berent




  ROLLING THUNDER

  An Historical Novel of War and Politics

  (Wings of War Book 1)

  by MARK BERENT

  Copyright Mark Berent

  (rev 05/07/17)

  WINGS OF WAR SERIES

  ROLLING THUNDER

  STEEL TIGER

  PHANTOM LEADER

  EAGLE STATION

  STORM FLIGHT

  ….........

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Acknowledgements

  Dedication

  Reviews

  Map of Southeast Asia

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Image: O-1 FAC Plane

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Image: Mission Card

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Image: III Corps Mike Force

  Chapter Fifteen

  Image: Flaming Arrow

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Image: F-105s Refueling

  Image: Flaming F-105

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Image: Camp Alpha

  Image: Captured Pilot

  About the Author

  Image: Author and F-100

  Spotters

  Glossary

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  The list is long. It starts with Lt. John Williams, a USAF public affairs officer in Los Angeles in the sixties and runs up through Special Forces Captain (Retired) Jim Morris and Ethan Ellen­berg in New York in the eighties. In between are writers and editors such as Stefan Geisenheyner, Peter Lars Sandberg, and USAF Colonel John Frisbee, former editor of Air Force Magazine; all of whom played a vital role in convincing me to write. I am indebted to these people.

 

  Yet nothing would have happened had it not been for my wife, Mary Bess, who found me in Paris in the seventies reliving the war instead of writing about it. She brought me back.

  DEDICATION

  This book is dedicated to the KIA, MIA, and POW aircrew from Air America, the U.S. Air Force; the U.S. Army, the U.S.Coast Guard, Continental Air Service, the U.S. Marine Corps, the U.S. Navy, the Royal Australian Air Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force, and to the men of the U.S. Army Special Forces.

  …………………………………

  Cover by Brian Hogan (former Royal Australian Air Force) Queensland, Australia.

  ……………………………………

  Dear Reader:

  This story is not entirely fictional. There are many recognizable characters coupled with many true events and published conversations. In effect, it is factual in content but fictional as relates to the main characters and some events. About my characters: They are composites of various people I have known or read about.

  Also, typos and/or poor grammar do slip through. If you note any, I’d be much obliged if you would notify me at fly@markberent.com with the errors. Just list the portion of the sentence with the error and I will use FIND and REPLACE. With your permission, I will list your name under SPOTTERS after I make the correction. Let me know how you want your name presented. However, it may take weeks or months before your name appears due to uploading procedures.

  Note there is a GLOSSARY at the end of this book.

  …………………………………

  REVIEWS

  "A taut, exciting tale of good men in a bad war. Berent is the real thing." --- Tom Clancy 

  "Rolling Thunder is terrific - a novel of exceptional authenticity that hits like a thunderclap. A decorated Vietnam pilot, Mark Berent knows planes and men and battle, and he whirls them around in a story of uncommon strength. I can't wait for his next book." --- W.E.B. Griffin, best-selling author of Brotherhood of War and The Corps 

  "Mark Berent writes with great authority and utter realism, immersing the reader in his characters' every sensation and emotion." --- Dale Brown, best-selling author of Flight of the Old Dog and Tiger’s Claw. 

  "The fighter pilot's war - you love it and hate it at the same time, and Mark Berent writes it that way." --- Stephen Coonts, best-selling author of Flight of the Intruder 

  "Berent tells it like it was!" --- Chuck Yeager 

  "The best Vietnam air novel I have read. Berent captures the essence of flying men at war, their agony, emotions, courage, and triumph." --- Brigadier General Robin Olds 

  MAP OF SOUTHEAST ASIA

 

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