Austral Skies

Australia. November 1944. A world at war. When she was a child in the Northern Territories, Aggie was enchanted by seeing a biplane, filling her heart with wonder. She dreamt of flying one day. As her family struggled through the years of the Great Depression, Aggie set aside her dreams, leaving school to work on a neighboring cattle station to support her family. War has given Aggie the chance to create new dreams as she leaves home for a position with the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force as an aviation mechanic. The move to Sydney and work repairing airplanes opens a wider world to her. Henry grew up poor on the hardscrabble streets of Chicago. Raised by his widowed mother, he had plenty of time to get into mischief with his gang of buddies. As they grew older and their mischief turned more dangerous, Henry received an opportunity to build a new life by training as a pilot. After the Pearl Harbor attack, Henry joins the Navy, piloting a Dauntless dive bomber from the decks of the aircraft carrier, USS Enterprise. His first year in the Navy saw action in the South Pacific, culminating in a brief leave in Australia. A chance meeting on a Sydney street brings Aggie and Henry together. Aggie can't imagine the dashing pilot would be interested in her. Henry can't seem to say the right thing to the lovely Aussie. Misunderstanding leads to romance through cards and letters, as well as encounters from Sydney to the Pacific atoll of Ulithi. What a surprise to have met at all, an Aussie and an American, in the middle of a World War. How can Henry hang onto his girl when she lives halfway around the world? Following Henry through the Enterprise's final Pacific campaign, he faces the challenges of combat and kamikazes through battles over Tokyo, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. Aggie has her own difficulties as a woman in a man's job, fighting for respect as an aviation mechanic while working to keep damaged planes flying. Together and apart, they fight for the Allies and their love for one another.