Following combat duty in Korea, a group of United States Marines are given a furlough in Japan. David Chatfield, a Boston aristocrat, says goodby to Song-Do, the native girl he plans to marry, and then joins his buddies in Yokosuka. Also in the company are Skip Roth, a shrewd fellow known as "the brain," and "Let's Go" McCaffrey, a free-wheeling, heavy-drinking soldier who resents David's upper-class background. The men have adventures in a bath house, in a night club, and with numerous American and Japanese women. McCaffrey gets into a brawl and is about to be court-martialed for the second time when an official order arrives cancelling all leaves because the Chinese forces have begun to move again. Once back in Korea, David is reunited with Song-Do; but a jealous native girl betrays them, and they are taken prisoner by the Chinese. McCaffrey and his men arrive in time to save David and Song-Do from execution. The next morning during combat, McCaffrey is severely wounded. He seeks out David, takes his hand, and dies.