It’s 1968. Hamilton Hancock is the Distinguished Graduate at his Undergraduate
Pilot Training class at Laughlin Air Force Base. He is on the fast track to
become a fighter pilot, slated to fly an F-100, F-105 or F-4 in Vietnam. Then,
the “needs of the service” intervenes, and he is assigned to fly one of the
smallest, slowest aircraft in the Air Force inventory, the O-2A.
Hamilton becomes a Forward Air Controller (FAC) in Vietnam, based at
DaNang Air Base, and picks up the nickname “Hamfist”. While Hamfist flies in air
combat over the Ho Chi Minh Trail and battles an enemy gunner with a deadly
record, on the ground he must also battle his inner fears and personal
demons.
When he repeatedly loses friends shortly after reconnecting with
them, Hamfist becomes convinced there is a “Hamfist curse”. He becomes a virtual
hermit, and tries to avoid interacting with his friends. Then he receives a
letter that devastates him.
Just when his personal life reaches its
lowest point, Hamfist goes to Tokyo on R&R and meets his soul mate. They had
lost an opportunity to meet six years earlier, and now Fate has given them
another chance. Hamfist returns from R&R with a renewed sense of optimism.
His life is taking a turn for the better. But first he must make it
through his Vietnam duty unscathed.
