In this vivid account, a young F-100 pilot describes his life in a fighter squadron in the peak year of the Vietnam War. Through commentary and 72 letters written to loved ones back home, this work details combat operations, mission briefings, flight protocols, tactics and targets. It speaks of dangers faced—enemy fire, harsh weather and unforgiving terrain—as well as the brutal fury and inspiring beauty of nature in a land far from home. Presenting the human side of war, the author depicts a world of exhilaration, despair, deep melancholy, loss and longing.