Diving Into the Past for a Historical Novel

By Thomas W. Young | April 11, 2020 |

Twenty-six miles off Morehead City, NC, the dive boat pitched and rolled. I fought seasickness as I pulled on my scuba gear. Everything gets harder when you’re trying not to lose your lunch; even strapping on fins becomes a struggle. I screwed the regulator onto my air tank. Cracked open the valve and watched the…

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Be Like Bob, Know Your History

By Thomas W. Young | February 19, 2020 |

One of the smartest guys I ever knew was an old squadron mate. He was an enlisted man, a loadmaster on the C-130 Hercules. He had no formal education beyond high school and his training in the Air Force and Navy. But his hobby was reading history. Every time you saw him, he had a…

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Silver Wings, Iron Cross

By Thomas W. Young | January 15, 2020 |

Dear friends and readers, Near the end of World War II, a downed American pilot and a deserting German officer try to survive as the Third Reich collapses around them. That’s the heart of the action in my upcoming novel, Silver Wings, Iron Cross. I grew up hearing my grandfather’s stories of his service with…

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The World War II Book Challenge

By Thomas W. Young | December 21, 2019 |

The New Year brings the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II–a fitting moment to learn more about the war, its causes, and its legacy. And we seem to need it. Too many people know too little about the most significant event of the 20th century, an event that still shapes our world.…

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Researching WWII Novels

By Thomas W. Young | October 22, 2019 |

While researching my World War II novels, I’ve found some great old training films online. Here’s a good example. In this one, Hollywood actor Arthur Kennedy plans a C-47 instructor pilot. I’m sure these films were great training aids, and now they’re a treasure trove for aviation buffs and history lovers.

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World War II novel

By Thomas W. Young | January 10, 2017 |

Completing a WWII novel that deals in part with the Battle of the Atlantic. Many folks don’t realize how close WWII came to mainland American shores. I first got interested in this subject years ago during my college days. With the UNC-Chapel Hill Scuba Club, I dived on several WWII shipwrecks off the Outer Banks,…

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