Three American servicemen return home to Boone City after the war, to find their lives irrevocably changed by their military experience. Homer Parrish has lost his hands, and has become distant from his fiancee and family as he struggles to overcome his disability. Al Stephenson returns to a family which has grown and changed during his three years away. And Fred Derry finds himself stuck in a lousy job and a loveless marriage, while at the same time falling in love with Al's daughter. Together, the three must find a way to come to terms with their experiences and pick up the pieces, lest wartime turn out to be "the best years of their lives".