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When We Were Young
(Bombing Trilogy)

In his Bombing series, Wesley Harden has captured the reality of life as lived by World War II airmen.

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When We Were Young
(Bombing Trilogy)

Sully is born and raised in a modest cottage on an antebellum Virginia plantation. All he aspires to is writing the next Great American Novel.

After a brief sojourn to France as an exchange student, he graduates from University and settles into the bohemian life of author and pacifist. World War Two changes everything. After initially failing his draft physical, he volunteers for the Air Corps after Pearl Harbor.

Chosen to be a bombardier, Sully is sent to England at the most dangerous time in the air war over Germany. After several harrowing missions, Sully’s bomber is fatally hit forcing him to bail out over Occupied France.

Shattering his leg on impact, he is reluctantly taken in by the Resistance. Uncertain if they should turn him over to the Germans or feed him to the pigs, they have his leg amputated.

During his recovery they realize his fluency in French makes him an asset masquerading as a bitter, crippled French Army veteran. In their service, he becomes a spy, saboteur and assassin.

Writing his memoir, Sully is haunted by the killing, both remote and personal. When it is completed, sitting in his cottage, his only option will be suicide.

A retired surgeon, Wesley lives in Virginia with his wife, Deborah, and two Shi-Tzus, Milo and Odie.

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Wesley Rennie Harden III 

Wesley was born and raised in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. He has been married to Deborah Harden nee Vassel for 43 years and they have three children.

Education:   Undergrad B.S. in Biology at Ursinus College, Collegeville, Pennsylvania.

Profession: Medical Doctor, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. General, Thoracic and Vascular and Trauma Surgeon. (Retired) Now work as a phlebologist in Northern Virginia.

Spare Time Activities: Whenever I have spare time, I write. In total I have completed six novels, plus an anthology of short stories, essays, and flash fiction is in progress. I am currently writing an action/adventure novel about ivory poaching, plus two historical novels.

"Harden (Bombing, 2010, The Business of Killing, 2015) writes with great confidence and undeniable expertise...the novel’s principal strength is its historical authenticity...the prose can be elegantly philosophical...
with no shortage of drama.”

Kirkus Reviews

"...engaging, Stand-out battles that make for very intense reading"

Keidi Keating, Your Book Angel


Fifteen things about Wesley Rennie Harden III 

1. I was born in a little one room shack in Pennsylvania. Mom always threatened to send me back there when I misbehaved.

2.     I have an inordinate fear of heights. I once went up to the top of the Empire State building but was so terrified I held on to the railing with a vice-like grip and refused to look down.
3. I have a beautiful, delightful wife and she reminds me of that daily.

4. I have been married to her for 44.5 years demonstrating to all how tolerant and forgiving I am.
5.     For research, the wife and I flew in a B-17 named “Texas Raiders” over Houston 6.     I have three children and seven grandchildren. I think they like me.
7.     I performed open-heart surgery for a living. 8.     I enjoy watching videos of aircraft carrier flight deck operations.
9.     I am a history buff especially about the American Civil War and World War Two. 10.     I am currently researching elephant poaching for a novel about elephant poaching.
11.     I love music: everything except rap and country western. Too bohemian for me. 12.     I love dogs, all shapes and sizes. Cats not so much.
13.     I still remember the smell of the ether dripped onto the cotton mask when I had my tonsils out. I am always amazed at how the brain will not let certain things go. 14.     To put up with my idiosyncrasies, my wife deserves a medal or at least recognition by presidential citation.
15.     I am a Navy veteran in my capacity as a surgeon.  I won three medals. So, I have that going for me.

16.     My wife and I went on a medical mission to Haiti days after the devastating earthquake in 2010. It was the most rewarding experience of my life. Wrote a brief memoir about it entitled “A Rock in The Sun.”
17.     I am currently researching or actively writing at least seven other projects: historical fiction about PT boats, The Battle of the Bulge, a murder during the Civil War. I have completed a book about a horrible multiple homicide in Baltimore entitled “No Ordinary Murder,” a medical thriller entitled “Wrongful Death,” and a novel about a rogue commander who sends his bombers to destroy Auschwitz entitled “The Hammer of God.”

18.     I will soon send out to you an anthology entitled “The Movies in My Head.”


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