After three generations of hardscrabble cattle ranching, the discovery of oil on the Caldwell's South Texas is a catalyst for change. Great-granddaughter and fourth-generation matriarch, Leslie Caldwell, uses her wiles and contacts to influence the passing of the rural electrification act and the growth of Carrizo Springs - originally one of several field camps on the cattle ranch. The family drilling company, Nueces Oil & Gas, manages the oilfield assets, and Leslie's love for all things large and mechanical leads to the purchase of a DC-2 airplane for the company and the expansion of a small landing strip on the ranch. Leslie has influential friends in Washington and Fort Sam Houston. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the isolated Caldwell ranch becomes a war effort asset and one of many secret pilot training bases in Texas. This is a story of a closely knit family, their love of the land, and their unselfish dedication to their community and country.
