Thunderchief
"Don Henry is a world-class fighter pilot who gets to the bottom of what makes aerial tigers tick. He captures the excitement of getting shot at that haunts their self-proclaimed supreme confidence. Don Henry's Thunderchief is the equal on modern warfare to Stephen Crane's Red Badge of Courage."        -Gen. Charles A. Horner  coauthor, with Tom Clancy, of Every Man a Tiger When America's space program began to look for astronauts, it initially turned to fighter pilots, finding in them men who could remain calm in the face of fear and uncertainty and solve intensely complicated problems in disarmingly simple and effective ways. Men who possessed these skills were said to have "the Right Stuff." Set in 1966 during the Vietnam War, Thunderchief is an extraordinary exploration of what the Right Stuff is and how jet fighter pilots pass it on within their close-knit community.  Ashe Wilcox is a young pilot struggling to gain respect through the trials of initiation under fire. He is mentored by Hunter, a tortured POW-camp survivor obsessed with aerial combat and revenge. Ashe and Hunter's relationship, in which Hunter is a reluctant and demanding instructor, leads Ashe on a dangerous and passionate journey of self-discovery. Thunderchief explores the inner conflict and mortal spirit of people in combat and reveals the staggering impact on their families and relationships. Don Henry gained a unique perspective as a combat fighter pilot, squadron commander, and psychologist. He has logged thousands of hours in supersonic fighter aircraft and is a highly decorated combat pilot and commander of a first-line fighter squadron. His combat decorations include the Silver Star and three Distinguished Flying Crosses. He lives and writes in Laguna Beach, California.