Lieut. Bill Brannigan is pleased to learn that fellow Brooklynite Thomas Jefferson "Tommy" O'Toole is coming to San Diego to join the Marine flying corps. To his surprise, the boy he remembers has turned into a self-important young man, and also a great flyer. After Tommy does a series of dangerous stunts over a field where men are in formation, Bill lectures him about his behavior, telling him to go away and return in a fitting manner. Tommy takes off in his plane, but runs out of gas and is forced to make a crash landing near the Happy Landings Cafe. He is immediately attracted to Betty Roberts, the daughter of cafe owner, Ma Roberts, and is unconcerned that she is dating Bill. In spite of his cocky attitude, Tommy does very well at the training school. Bill is assigned as his instructor pilot. On his first flight, Tommy begins to fly stunts, and the plane catches fire. Bill bales out, but Tommy defies his orders and lands the plane, making him a hero. Tommy performs his first solo flight perfectly and then blackmails Betty into attending the solo flight party with him. Bill is angry when he finds that Betty has gone to the dance with Tommy, and the two men fight. Once again, Tommy and Bill must fly together when Tommy's co-pilot is injured on maneuvers. Their plane is damaged, and this time, when Tommy wants to jump, Bill holds the severed wing together at great risk to himself, allowing Tommy to land the plane. They are friends again, but Bill loses his girl to Tommy and so he applies for a transfer to another base.