In World War II, newly promoted Capt. John Hoskins (officer) (Sterling Hayden) returns home after two years at sea to spend a seven-hour leave with his wife Sue (Alexis Smith) and their children, before taking command of the ship USS Hornet (CV-8) but the ship has been sunk. Hoskins is then reassigned as an instructor at Quonset Point, Rhode Island, much closer to home but "... thousands of miles from the only war he'll get to fight in."