Tailgunner: War Defines Us...If We Let It

Inspired by the heroism of Walter (Buck) Merkel, Jr., this novel lets the reader witness gut-jarring missions over Nazi Germany, as he and fellow airmen dodge 8mm slugs ripping through the fuselage of their B-17. Upon reaching enemy targets, feel the adrenaline coursing through their veins while winging over 88mm anti-aircraft flak, spraying death upward in the form of shrapnel, capable of ripping an airplane, engine or airman to shreds. At the onset of World War Two, Ilona, a sophisticated woman of privileged Jewish class from Budapest, embarks on a dangerous journey by train through Nazi occupied Europe to England. For too long, she watched Hungary turn into a police state, now Ilona sought to escape the Gestapo's midnight arrests and mass executions. Grappling with fear of discovery at any moment, she uses cunning and deception to outwit the Nazis. Their worlds collide when Buck meets Ilona working as a singer in London's cabaret district. They find love in each other's arms until the war pulls them apart. When Buck receives orders to report for a secret mission, Ilona vows to wait for him but soon encounters a life-changing discovery. Nothing will ever be the same.