Sid Mason, Captain in the United States Air Force, F-4 pilot destined for Vietnam. His radar intercept operator is interested in the background of the man he is going to war with. Captain Mason engages in remembrance of his childhood and the influence of World War II on his early life and his professional life after graduation from the Air Force Academy. His expertise at combat maneuvers exceeds his experience and is a mystery to his contemporaries. This all ties together as Sid Mason tells the influence of his early life on his professional attitude and expertise as a combat pilot.