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When Heroes Flew #6
When Heroes Flew: Black Thursday
Late 1943: The fate of the air war in Europe hangs in the balance, and Colonel Matt Barrington carries the weight of thousands of lives on his shoulders.
Colonel Matt Barrington knows the cold calculus of WWII strategic bombing. As one of the masterminds behind the US 8th Air Force's daring raids into Nazi Germany, he's accustomed to making decisions that send men to their deaths. But when a mission goes terribly wrong, resulting in the loss of 60 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 In the crucible of war, can one man's actions truly make a difference?
In Black Thursday, former U.S. Air Force officer and MWSA gold medalist H.W. "Buzz" Bernard delivers a gripping tale of courage, sacrifice, and the devastating human cost of victory in the skies over World War II Europe.
Colonel Matt Barrington knows the cold calculus of WWII strategic bombing. As one of the masterminds behind the US 8th Air Force's daring raids into Nazi Germany, he's accustomed to making decisions that send men to their deaths. But when a mission goes terribly wrong, resulting in the loss of 60 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 In the crucible of war, can one man's actions truly make a difference?
In Black Thursday, former U.S. Air Force officer and MWSA gold medalist H.W. "Buzz" Bernard delivers a gripping tale of courage, sacrifice, and the devastating human cost of victory in the skies over World War II Europe.
287 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 3, 2026
135 people are currently reading
1052 people want to read
About the author
H.W. "Buzz" Bernard
16 books97 followersH. W. “Buzz” Bernard is a bestselling, award-winning novelist.
His debut novel, EYEWALL, published in 2011, became a number-one bestseller in Amazon’s Kindle Store.
Three of his next four novels won Electronic Publishing Industry Coalition (EPIC) eBook awards in the suspense/thriller category.
In 2020, with the publication of WHEN HEROES FLEW, Buzz switched from writing suspense/thriller novels to WWII historical fiction and began a new series. The first three novels in the series were awarded Gold Medals by the Military Writers Society of America (MWSA). Buzz himself was honored with the MWSA’s highest accolade in 2023, the Founder’s Award.
WHEN HEROES FLEW: THE ROOF OF THE WORLD, the third book in the series, in addition to garnering an MWSA Gold Medal, won the 2023 Nancy Pearl Book Award for genre fiction. The award is sponsored by the Pacific Northwest Writers Association.
Buzz is currently working on his fifth WWII historical fiction book.
Before becoming a novelist, Buzz worked at The Weather Channel as a senior meteorologist for thirteen years. Prior to that, he served as a weather officer in the U.S. Air Force for over three decades. He attained the rank of colonel and received, among other awards, the Legion of Merit.
Buzz is a past president of the Southeastern Writers Association as well as a member of the Pacific Northwest Writers Association, the Willamette Writers, the Military Writers Society of America, International Thriller Writers, and the Atlanta Writers Club.
Although a native Oregonian, Buzz lived for 35 years in Atlanta, and now resides in Kennewick, Washington, with his wife Barbara and their fuzzy Shih Tzu, Stormy . . . who doesn’t live up to his name.
Buzz’s website can be found at www.buzzbernard.com.
His debut novel, EYEWALL, published in 2011, became a number-one bestseller in Amazon’s Kindle Store.
Three of his next four novels won Electronic Publishing Industry Coalition (EPIC) eBook awards in the suspense/thriller category.
In 2020, with the publication of WHEN HEROES FLEW, Buzz switched from writing suspense/thriller novels to WWII historical fiction and began a new series. The first three novels in the series were awarded Gold Medals by the Military Writers Society of America (MWSA). Buzz himself was honored with the MWSA’s highest accolade in 2023, the Founder’s Award.
WHEN HEROES FLEW: THE ROOF OF THE WORLD, the third book in the series, in addition to garnering an MWSA Gold Medal, won the 2023 Nancy Pearl Book Award for genre fiction. The award is sponsored by the Pacific Northwest Writers Association.
Buzz is currently working on his fifth WWII historical fiction book.
Before becoming a novelist, Buzz worked at The Weather Channel as a senior meteorologist for thirteen years. Prior to that, he served as a weather officer in the U.S. Air Force for over three decades. He attained the rank of colonel and received, among other awards, the Legion of Merit.
Buzz is a past president of the Southeastern Writers Association as well as a member of the Pacific Northwest Writers Association, the Willamette Writers, the Military Writers Society of America, International Thriller Writers, and the Atlanta Writers Club.
Although a native Oregonian, Buzz lived for 35 years in Atlanta, and now resides in Kennewick, Washington, with his wife Barbara and their fuzzy Shih Tzu, Stormy . . . who doesn’t live up to his name.
Buzz’s website can be found at www.buzzbernard.com.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 4, 2026
I received this book as an ARC in return for my honest review of the book and I, unfortunately, didn’t realize it was an ARC and read it the day it was released! I give this 5 ⭐️s. Black Thursday hit me harder than I expected. I went in curious about the history, but I stayed because the characters felt so real—people just trying to protect what matters as the world falls into chaos. I also was intrigued by the fact that it was in the PNW where I currently reside, so I could relate even more. The author captures the fear and anxiety of the 1934 windstorm in a way that made me feel like I was right there with them, listening to the wind build and hoping everyone would make it through. It’s emotional, tense, and even has intimate moments. By the end, I wasn’t just reading about a disaster happening but also caring about the people as if I knew them. I definitely was able to connect and now I want to read the other books by this author! Very well written!
January 18, 2026
“In fact, I did not fear. I knew. I knew with soul-wrenching certainty that a lot of young men would die today.”
In Black Thursday, you follow the missions during WWII over Germany. From the orders from Washington DC to the drawing board of how to do the mission to the air men getting in the aircraft.
You follow the orders of the middions in the sky and the attacks the men encountered thousands of feet in the air.
I was on the edge of my seat during every mission.
“More than a few wondered—I knew, because I’d done it myself—if the crew sitting in front of them, or behind them, or beside them would come home.”
Buzz does a great job depicting the scenes. It was as if you were flying with them.
I was not ready for the ending. I will be reading more of Buzz’s books!
In Black Thursday, you follow the missions during WWII over Germany. From the orders from Washington DC to the drawing board of how to do the mission to the air men getting in the aircraft.
You follow the orders of the middions in the sky and the attacks the men encountered thousands of feet in the air.
I was on the edge of my seat during every mission.
“More than a few wondered—I knew, because I’d done it myself—if the crew sitting in front of them, or behind them, or beside them would come home.”
Buzz does a great job depicting the scenes. It was as if you were flying with them.
I was not ready for the ending. I will be reading more of Buzz’s books!
February 4, 2026
I received an advanced copy of this book for my honest review. This historical fiction at its best. It tells of men who flew B-17’s during the early parts of WWII and what they endured flying these difficult missions. The final mission that is discussed tells about “Black Thursday”. This did occur during this time frame. I’m sure that the details of this mission and the missions described were accurate except some of the characters were added to explain the history of these events. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is into WWII aviation history.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
WHEN HEROES FLEW: BLACK THURSDAY - What a well written story. I could not put the book down. My favorite of the many WWII Historical novels that I've read. Interesting story lines blend with WWII history telling an intriguing and mesmerizing tale of war, sacrifice, loss, heartbreak, and love. Wonderful characters. Detailed descriptions, especially the fight scenes. Plenty of emotions. I want to read more by this author. Source: Severn River Publishing. 5*
February 3, 2026
Great book, very moving.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews