During World War II, USMC corporal Joseph F. "Joe" Enders returns to active duty with the aid of his pharmacist, Rita, having previously survived a gruesome Solomon Islands campaign that killed his entire squad and left him almost deaf in his left ear. Enders' new assignment is to protect Navajo people code talker Pvt. Ben Yahzee, and carries a promotion for Enders to Sergeant. Sgt. Pete "Ox" Henderson also receives a parallel assignment protecting Navajo code talker Pvt. Charlie Whitehorse.