An aircraft carrier is sent on a decoy mission around the Pacific, with orders to avoid combat, thus lulling Japanese alertness before the battle of Midway. All the men have their individual worries and concerns, but become increasingly frustrated at their avoidance of combat, for reasons unknown to them. But in the end, all get their chance to fight.
Action | Drama | War
| Don Ameche | … | Flight Cmdr. Bingo Harper | |
| Dana Andrews | … | Lt. Cmdr. Edward Moulton | |
| William Eythe | … | Ensign Hallam ‘Oscar’ Scott | |
| Charles Bickford | … | Capt. Waddell | |
| Cedric Hardwicke | … | Admiral (as Sir Cedric Hardwicke) | |
| Kevin O’Shea | … | Ens. Charles ‘Cookie’ Cunningham | |
| Richard Jaeckel | … | Beezy Bessemer | |
| Harry Morgan | … | Ensign Malcolm Brainard (as Henry Morgan) | |
| Richard Crane | … | Ensign Gus Chisholm | |
| Glenn Langan | … | Executive Officer | |
| Renny McEvoy | … | Ens. Cliff Hale | |
| Robert Bailey | … | Ens. Paducah Holloway | |
| Reed Hadley | … | Cmdr. O’Donnell | |
| George Mathews | … | Dooley | |
| B.S. Pully | … | Flat Top |