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Wings of War #5
Storm Flight
Storm Flight, (Book Five of Five) the intense conclusion to his saga, the action is touched off by a daring raid on the Son Tay prisoner-of-war camp that reveals some startling information. With American prisoners in terrible jeopardy and crucial national secrets in danger of being discovered, the characters we have met in Berent's earlier books are put to the ultimate test. They must call upon all their skill, leadership, guts, and strength to complete their missions.
As always, Berent highlights his knowledge of little known facts about the war, and his keen insight into the minds of members of the fighting forces. In one exhilarating sequence, Parker and his instructor pilot Ken Tanaka each shoot down two MiGs in the course of one fight, involving four MiGs and an unarmed transport. Despite the chewing out that they receive later from their superior officer, the two fighter pilots refuse to shoot down the transport. Ironically, that decision was the one that saved the life of one of their strongest critics, Jane Fonda, who had once called fighter pilots "professional killers." (This incident is based on a true story.) Parker later makes "ace," a title given to the rare fighter pilot who shoots down five MiGs.
Dedicated pilot, Lt. Col. Court Bannister, his uncle, the seasoned Major General "Whitey" Whisenand, and tough-as-nails Lt. Col. Wolf Lochert, all play key roles in the sensitive operation Storm Flight. With the information from the Son Tay raid, and coded signals from the brave Major "Flak" Apple, who is a tortured inmate at Hon Lo Prison (the "Hanoi Hilton"), the men learn that the Russians are separating prisoners with highly classified tactical and technical knowledge for special interrogation. Their task in Storm Flight is to learn just where these particular prisoners are being held and what is planned for them.
The characters fight their own private battles as well: Court strives to overcome his loss of Susan Boyle while trying to get back into combat after his banishment from fighters into heavy bombers for vengefully tearing down a Viet Cong flag at a Washington protest rally; Captain Toby Parker, while proving he can stay sober, has to look deep inside himself to see if he truly is a dedicated Air Force Officer and fighter pilot; and Special Forces Colonel Wolf Lochert has to suppress his fierce desire for immediate action and play abhorrent political waiting games in order to ram through his bold plan for POW rescue.
Storm Flight is a true tour de force in the military field. Berent expertly outlines the incredible obstacles that American flyers faced trying to win an unpopular war while simultaneously forbidden to strike targets vital to success, as, back home, politicians from both sides traded cliches that influenced the lives of millions. Storm Flight is indeed much more than a combat narration.
As always, Berent highlights his knowledge of little known facts about the war, and his keen insight into the minds of members of the fighting forces. In one exhilarating sequence, Parker and his instructor pilot Ken Tanaka each shoot down two MiGs in the course of one fight, involving four MiGs and an unarmed transport. Despite the chewing out that they receive later from their superior officer, the two fighter pilots refuse to shoot down the transport. Ironically, that decision was the one that saved the life of one of their strongest critics, Jane Fonda, who had once called fighter pilots "professional killers." (This incident is based on a true story.) Parker later makes "ace," a title given to the rare fighter pilot who shoots down five MiGs.
Dedicated pilot, Lt. Col. Court Bannister, his uncle, the seasoned Major General "Whitey" Whisenand, and tough-as-nails Lt. Col. Wolf Lochert, all play key roles in the sensitive operation Storm Flight. With the information from the Son Tay raid, and coded signals from the brave Major "Flak" Apple, who is a tortured inmate at Hon Lo Prison (the "Hanoi Hilton"), the men learn that the Russians are separating prisoners with highly classified tactical and technical knowledge for special interrogation. Their task in Storm Flight is to learn just where these particular prisoners are being held and what is planned for them.
The characters fight their own private battles as well: Court strives to overcome his loss of Susan Boyle while trying to get back into combat after his banishment from fighters into heavy bombers for vengefully tearing down a Viet Cong flag at a Washington protest rally; Captain Toby Parker, while proving he can stay sober, has to look deep inside himself to see if he truly is a dedicated Air Force Officer and fighter pilot; and Special Forces Colonel Wolf Lochert has to suppress his fierce desire for immediate action and play abhorrent political waiting games in order to ram through his bold plan for POW rescue.
Storm Flight is a true tour de force in the military field. Berent expertly outlines the incredible obstacles that American flyers faced trying to win an unpopular war while simultaneously forbidden to strike targets vital to success, as, back home, politicians from both sides traded cliches that influenced the lives of millions. Storm Flight is indeed much more than a combat narration.
383 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1993
57 people are currently reading
99 people want to read
About the author
Mark Berent
24 books32 followerssource: BN Nook Store
Meet the Author
MARK BERENT
Lt Col Mark E. Berent, USAF (Ret), was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He graduated from Cretin High
School and attended St. Thomas College in St. Paul, Minnesota. Later he graduated from Arizona State University under the Air Force Institute of Technology program with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering.
Lt Col Berent began his Air Force career as an enlisted man, then progressed through the aviation cadet program. He attended pilot training at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi and then Laredo Air Force Base, Texas flying the T-6, T-28 and T-33 aircraft and then moved on to F-86s at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. He served on active duty for 23 years until retirement in 1974. He began his operational flying career in the F-86 and F-100 flying at various posts throughout the United States and Europe. He later served three combat tours, completing 452 combat sorties, first in the F-100 at Bien Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam, the F-4 at Ubon Royal Thai Air Base, Thailand, and then in Cambodia for two years to fly things with propellers on them and through a fluke in communications timing, to personally run the air war for a few weeks.
He has also served two tours at the United States Space and Missile System Organization (SAMSO) at Los Angeles, California working first in the Satellites Control Facility and later as a staff developmental engineer for the space shuttle. In his expansive career he has seen service as an Air Attaché to the United States Embassy, Phnom Penh, Cambodia and also as Chief of Test Control Branch at the Air Development and Test Center at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. He also served as an instructor at the Air Force's Squadron Officer School.
During his flying career he has logged over 4300 hours of flying time, 1084 of those in combat missions in the F-100, F-4, C-47 and U-10 over North and South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. He has flown 30 different aircraft.
His decorations include the Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with one oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star, Air Medal with twenty four oak leaf clusters, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, Cambodian Divisional Medal, and numerous Vietnam Campaign ribbons. He completed jump school with the Special Forces. Later, he jumped with and was awarded Cambodian paratrooper wings. He also flew with and received Cambodian pilot wings.
After leaving the Air Force he lived in Europe to establish and direct international operations for the sale of spares for combat aircraft. He has flown many foreign aircraft such as the Swedish Viggen and Royal Air Force Jaguar and Hawk. He also established Berent and Woods Inc, a firm that managed many aviation related activities.
Over the years he had published numerous articles for such publications as Air Force Magazine and the Washington Times and for 18 years wrote a monthly pilot/reporter column for the Asian Defense Journal. Under the name Berent Sandberg he and Peter Sandberg collaborated on three novels. He now has five Vietnam air war flying novels in print, Rolling Thunder, Steel Tiger, Phantom Leader, Eagle Station, and Storm Flight.
Berent states it is never too late for any endeavor: he published the first of his five books at age 58, ran his first Marathon at 59, bought a T-6 warbird and flew in airshows at 64, and rode in his first cattle roundup in Montana at 74.
Meet the Author
MARK BERENT
Lt Col Mark E. Berent, USAF (Ret), was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He graduated from Cretin High
School and attended St. Thomas College in St. Paul, Minnesota. Later he graduated from Arizona State University under the Air Force Institute of Technology program with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering.
Lt Col Berent began his Air Force career as an enlisted man, then progressed through the aviation cadet program. He attended pilot training at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi and then Laredo Air Force Base, Texas flying the T-6, T-28 and T-33 aircraft and then moved on to F-86s at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. He served on active duty for 23 years until retirement in 1974. He began his operational flying career in the F-86 and F-100 flying at various posts throughout the United States and Europe. He later served three combat tours, completing 452 combat sorties, first in the F-100 at Bien Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam, the F-4 at Ubon Royal Thai Air Base, Thailand, and then in Cambodia for two years to fly things with propellers on them and through a fluke in communications timing, to personally run the air war for a few weeks.
He has also served two tours at the United States Space and Missile System Organization (SAMSO) at Los Angeles, California working first in the Satellites Control Facility and later as a staff developmental engineer for the space shuttle. In his expansive career he has seen service as an Air Attaché to the United States Embassy, Phnom Penh, Cambodia and also as Chief of Test Control Branch at the Air Development and Test Center at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. He also served as an instructor at the Air Force's Squadron Officer School.
During his flying career he has logged over 4300 hours of flying time, 1084 of those in combat missions in the F-100, F-4, C-47 and U-10 over North and South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. He has flown 30 different aircraft.
His decorations include the Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with one oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star, Air Medal with twenty four oak leaf clusters, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, Cambodian Divisional Medal, and numerous Vietnam Campaign ribbons. He completed jump school with the Special Forces. Later, he jumped with and was awarded Cambodian paratrooper wings. He also flew with and received Cambodian pilot wings.
After leaving the Air Force he lived in Europe to establish and direct international operations for the sale of spares for combat aircraft. He has flown many foreign aircraft such as the Swedish Viggen and Royal Air Force Jaguar and Hawk. He also established Berent and Woods Inc, a firm that managed many aviation related activities.
Over the years he had published numerous articles for such publications as Air Force Magazine and the Washington Times and for 18 years wrote a monthly pilot/reporter column for the Asian Defense Journal. Under the name Berent Sandberg he and Peter Sandberg collaborated on three novels. He now has five Vietnam air war flying novels in print, Rolling Thunder, Steel Tiger, Phantom Leader, Eagle Station, and Storm Flight.
Berent states it is never too late for any endeavor: he published the first of his five books at age 58, ran his first Marathon at 59, bought a T-6 warbird and flew in airshows at 64, and rode in his first cattle roundup in Montana at 74.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 6, 2017
In the final book of this excellent series, Berent ratchets up the suspense, bringing together all our familiar characters in a gripping finale. Just when a reader thinks things can't possibly get any more exciting, plans go awry, people get captured or crash planes, equipment fails, enemies turn out to be friends ... or is it the other way around?
Berent has brought a long and fiendishly complex mission to a satisfactory close. Bravo!
Berent has brought a long and fiendishly complex mission to a satisfactory close. Bravo!
October 20, 2018
Good end to the series.
Excellent operational details and drama. Some typos that i will try to get to the author. Not bad on the politics either.
Excellent operational details and drama. Some typos that i will try to get to the author. Not bad on the politics either.
September 26, 2022
Great book and an excellent series. Sorry to see it come to an end.
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January 26, 2016Storm Flight
I totally LOVED every book in this series. Readers should read the books in sequence because the characters are continually developed as the novels progress, even though each book can be a stand-alone story. The stories will be especially meaningful for readers who came of age in the mid-to late 1960's, when the war in Vietnam was tearing this country apart. Most of us couldn't have known of the political motives that drove America's tactics in waging the war. We wondered why our great country was not winning, even as we continued to send our young men to fight. I finished the series with a much greater appreciation for our armed services and much less respect for our elected leaders.
I totally LOVED every book in this series. Readers should read the books in sequence because the characters are continually developed as the novels progress, even though each book can be a stand-alone story. The stories will be especially meaningful for readers who came of age in the mid-to late 1960's, when the war in Vietnam was tearing this country apart. Most of us couldn't have known of the political motives that drove America's tactics in waging the war. We wondered why our great country was not winning, even as we continued to send our young men to fight. I finished the series with a much greater appreciation for our armed services and much less respect for our elected leaders.
January 15, 2014
The final book in the historical fiction Wings Of War series. Nixon is President and Kissinger is meeting in Paris with the North Vietnamese. Talks are not going well and Nixon orders the start of Linebacker II by heavily bombing Hanoi. Court is flying in a B52 trying to convince SAC to change it's tactics, Wolf is planning a nightime parachute drop into downtown Hanoi in an attempt to find out where some of the POWs were moved to, and Toby is flying F-4 missions over Hanoi attempting to gain Ace status.
June 23, 2014
WOW
Great read. I t will hold your attention and is difficult to put down. I am glad that I read this book and as a Vietnam veteran, it bring back memories, good and bad. I would suggest this book to anyone.
Great read. I t will hold your attention and is difficult to put down. I am glad that I read this book and as a Vietnam veteran, it bring back memories, good and bad. I would suggest this book to anyone.
May 10, 2014
Great book!
This is a excellent fiction based on a lot of facts. I'm my opinion the book speaks to & for all of us who spent time in the Nam.
This is a excellent fiction based on a lot of facts. I'm my opinion the book speaks to & for all of us who spent time in the Nam.
September 29, 2015
Outstandinng final book of the series. A great closing of all the story lines. I enjoyed all 5 books a great deal.
November 28, 2014
Great Book
The character development in this book is superb. The plot and subplots fit like a glove. I shall miss reading Brent's books; I have read all five.
The character development in this book is superb. The plot and subplots fit like a glove. I shall miss reading Brent's books; I have read all five.
May 1, 2015
Viet Nam combat thriller. Masterful job of inserting thousands of details about the Air Force and planes while still keeping the story line moving along.
February 2, 2017
You can read my review at: http://tims-reviews.blogspot.com/2017...
April 24, 2017
Book Five "Storm Flight"
As I and I'm sure many others suspected, this was a purely political war which cost so many lives. History was made with the lives of so many of our Brave men and women. Now if only the politicos would own up to their own mistakes. Mr Barely had portrayed this honestly and I'm sure factually. Bravo Zulu!
As I and I'm sure many others suspected, this was a purely political war which cost so many lives. History was made with the lives of so many of our Brave men and women. Now if only the politicos would own up to their own mistakes. Mr Barely had portrayed this honestly and I'm sure factually. Bravo Zulu!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews