In December 1941, a squadron of United States Navy PT Boats under the command of Lt. John "Brick" Brickley (Robert Montgomery (actor)) is sent to Manila to help defend the Commonwealth of the Philippines against a potential Japanese invasion. However, upon their arrival, instead of a welcome, they are ridiculed by the local military commanders. One of Brick's men, Lt., J.G. "Rusty" Ryan (John Wayne) becomes disgusted when his superiors refuse to see the small boats as viable naval craft and is in the process of writing his request for a transfer to Destroyer when news arrives of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, which makes transfer at that time impossible.