A U.S. Air Force squadron of F-4 Phantoms is deployed to Iran to fly and train with the Iranian Air Force flying the same jets they had purchased from the U.S. The situation is tense, especially in Tehran, where the radical Muslim factions had grown in power. The Shah was out of the country and applying for asylum in America to treat his cancer. The opposition wanted him returned and they especially wanted the millions of dollars he had accumulated over the years. His government was hanging on by a thread. The flying from Shiraz Air Base in southern Iran was great training for the American pilots, but the situation got tense and it was time to go. Most of the jets got out, but one was left behind with maintenance problems and 14 personnel were left to tend to it and get it released. Brad Mitchell was the pilot tasked to fly the lame bird to Saudi Arabia. The opposition forces overwhelmed the Shiraz military that were friendly to the Shah. The 14 Americans were held hostage. President Carver authorizes a rescue operation, and though not without casualties, the AF personnel and the jet were recovered. The American Embassy in Tehran however, fell hostage to the Muslims as they overthrew their government.



Colonel Dana Duthie, USAF (Ret), was a 24 year fighter pilot in the US Air Force. He began his military career at the Virginia Military Institute, graduating as a second lieutenant in 1968. He served a tour in Southeast Asia as a Forward Air Controller, then it was on to Germany flying the F-4 Phantom. Much of his current book, DARK RAIN, spawned from that tour. Dana upgraded to the F-16 Fighting Falcon in 1982, served as a Gunsmoke Team Chief for his wing at Shaw AFB, S.C., followed by Operations Officer of the 19th Tac fighter Squadron. The highlight of his career was as the squadron commander of the 80th Fighter Squadron Headhunters in Korea. He finished up his career after three years at the Pentagon, finally back in the cockpit as the Director for Operations of the 50th Tac Fighter Wing at Hahn Air Base, Germany. His two tours in germany and his time in Washington were the background to the production of DARK RAIN. Prequels to DARK RAIN are coming, one based on the tour in Korea, and another based on the F-4 days in Germany. He wrote these books as tributes to the men and women he served with in the Air Force, many of whom will find themselves, or someone vaguely familiar in the stories.