After his friend is killed in Vietnam flying a Marine helicopter, young Paul Stone gives up his dream of becoming a fighter pilot. Instead, he decides to follow his friend's example flying a helicopter to save lives rather than take them. As a grown man Paul follows the first of his friends footsteps and becomes a Marine officer. Taking the next step he pins the gold wings of a Marine helicopter pilot on his new dress blue uniform. It appears to him that he is well on the way to his goal. But the Marines have far different plans for him. Those plans will take him down a steadily divergent path away from flying lifesaving missions. As a good Marine he accepts his orders flying transport helicopters where he gains experience and maturity. He and his career as an increasingly capable helicopter pilot mature leaving him options for at last seeing his earliest goal as a lifesaver realized. But just as his good fortune seems to zenith, a shocking and unexpected turn of fate suddenly leaves Paul wondering if he will ever reach his destiny as a helicopter pilot flying the lifeline.