Plot summary

In 1945, during World War II, a train full of draftees are heading to Biloxi, Mississippi for boot camp. Among the recruits are Private Eugene Jerome (who wants to be a writer and makes observations about everyone in a private journal), Arnold Epstein (another New York Jew and the intellectual in the group), Joseph Wykowski (the largest recruit and likeliest to be the best soldier in their unit), Roy Selridge (a loudmouth and seeming sycophant to Wykowski), Don Carney (who has aspirations to be a singer) and James Hennesey (a mostly soft-spoken type). When they arrive at their training camp,Jerome comments that the heat is unbearable. They immediately meet their drill sergeant, Merwin Toomey, who tells them that he was wounded during the war in Europe and has a steel plate in his skull. Toomey has a jovial wit but also a hard edge and Jerome and Epstein run afoul of him when he tells everyone to fall in for muster: Epstein mocks Toomey's order that they all answer to their names with "Ho!" and Jerome stumbles over the response, prompting Toomey to demand he name one of his comrades in order that he do push-ups in punishment. Eventually, Jerome finds himself unpunished while everyone in the platoon carries out Toomey's orders.The platoon reports for chow, finding the food detestable. Toomey stops by their table and tells them he plans to have them march for 15 miles in the morning at 5 AM. Epstein objects, saying that the platoon needs rest after their 3 day train ride. Toomey excuses Epstein from the march after he cleans the barracks latrine, adding that if it doesn't meet his rigorous standards, Wykowski and Selridge will perform 200 push-ups as a punishment. After he leaves, Jerome mocks Toomey -- Wykowski doesn't like it because Toomey seems to have exceptional hearing and perception; he seems to hear even the lowest-spoken comments. When they line up to surrender their trays, those that haven't eaten their entire meal are sent back to their seats to finish, including Carney, Jerome and Epstein.Toomey takes the platoon out for a long march through the Mississippi swampland. They soon stop at a large pond. Toomey asks for ideas to cross the "obstacle" and orders Jerome to pick a volunteer. When Toomey orders Jerome to give him the name of the recruit who will wade into the water, Jerome refuses to answer. Toomey, pulling the same trick that he did during muster, has Jerome "whisper" the name into his ear, which turns out to be Wykowski. Wykowski almost immediately sinks into the swamp and the platoon marches out, looking for a better place to cross while 2 other recruits fish Wykowski out of the water.That night Jerome suggests that they all share fantasies, detailing what they'd do if they knew they were going to die in combat one week from that day. Seeing an opportunity for a small contest for a cash award, Jerome will act as the judge, grading their responses. Selridge claims he'd have sex with 7 of the richest women in the world and receive a million dollars from each for his performance, but he'd need another day to spend all the money. Carney says he'd sing at Carnegie Hall and become famous. Hennesey says he'd spend the time with his family, which Jerome calls an honest answer. Wykowski says he'd have sex with the Queen of England, a response that Jerome calls completely immoral but grades very high. Epstein is reluctant to reveal his but with some gentle persuasion from Jerome he tells everyone that he'd like to order Toomey to perform 200 push-ups in front of the entire platoon. Everyone admits that it's the best response so far and Jerome gives Epstein an A. Jerome goes last and says he'd simply like to lose his virginity and meet the perfect girl. Selridge, given the responsibility of grading Jerome, finds the fantasy smarmy and gives him a C-, making Epstein the winner. Wykowski, who makes no effort to his his dislike of Jews, objects and a minor fight breaks out. Toomey intervenes and orders everyone to sleep while Epstein collects his money.The platoon is given a weekend's leave. Jerome and Carney plan to join Selridge and Wykowski on their trip to a prostitute's apartment in Biloxi. Wykowski storms in yelling about how all the money he'd saved for the big weekend was stolen out of his wallet in his footlocker. Toomey suddenly appears and orders everyone to line up. He tells them he's heard about the theft and that he wants the guilty party to come forward, saying they will not avoid punishment but that it would be honorable to admit their wrongdoing. When no one steps forward, Toomey begins a countdown. Suddenly, Arnold Epstein goes to his own wallet and gives the amount stolen to Wykowski. Toomey is flustered, admitting that he'd taken the money out of Wykowski's footlocker while his men were asleep the night before. His intention was to teach Wykowski a lesson for leaving his footlocker unlocked but he never figured that Epstein would undermine his authority. He dismisses everyone for leave and chastises Epstein in a private meeting. Epstein tells Toomey that he saw him take the money and that he doesn't understand how the sergeant will teach a proper lesson by committing his own crime. Toomey gives Epstein latrine duty again.In Biloxi, the guys arrive at the prostitute's house. Wykowski goes first while Selridge, Carney and Jerome discuss sexual etiquette. Wykowksi emerges satisfied and leaves for the USO hall's party for GIs. After Selridge disappears into the bedroom, Jerome and Carney decide to leave. Jerome forgets his hat and meets Selridge stalking out, claiming he'd passed his peak. Jerome finds his hat and is met by Rowena who beckons him into her room. Jerome is quite nervous and reluctant but Rowena coaches him into the act.At the USO hall, the rest of the guys are scoping out the local women they can dance with -- most of them seem to have come from a Catholic school in Biloxi. Jerome arrives in quite a light mood from his experience and finds a young, pretty woman named Daisy who accepts his offer to dance. The two have an innocent conversation and find that they are quite attracted to each other. They dance for what seems like hours until the hall closes.That night, after they return from leave, Wykowski finds Jerome's footlocker unlocked. Inside he finds Jerome's diary and all the private thoughts Jerome has had about everyone in the platoon. Jerome returns to find that his comrades are very resentful of his thoughts: Wykowski is considered a brutish thug but the type of soldier who will one day be highly decorated for his efforts. Selridge, while holding Jerome back in a headlock, has to listen while Wykowski reveals a name Selridge shouts in his sleep, that of his mother. Jerome believes that Carney is a good person but is unreliable. Wykowski finally orders Selridge to let Jerome go and he gives back the journal. Epstein grabs it immediately and salaciously asks to read what Jerome has to say about him: Jerome thinks Arnold may be gay. Epstein is insulted.A few nights later an officer, while patrolling the barracks, notices the lights out in the latrine. When he turns them on, he finds two men engaging in a sexual act. One of them jumps out the window before he can be identified, the other is brought in for interrogation. Toomey asks the unidentifiable party to come forward, warning that his name will be revealed when the other confesses. The recruits speculate and discuss the issue, several of them objecting to gay men sneaking into the Army and others, like Selridge, saying people should be able to live how they wish. Days after, while out on a march, Toomey's platoon is stopped by the military police. The MPs have Hennesey separated from the rest of the company, taking him away in their jeep.One night Jerome invites Epstein to join him for a drink on the base. Epstein refuses, still stinging from Jerome's assumption that he's gay. Jerome says he knows Arnold isn't gay but he thought he might be since he never talked about women. Just then and extremely drunk Toomey comes out of his quarters and demands that Epstein join him while holding a loaded .45 pistol. Jerome moves to protect Arnold, saying he's a witness. Toomey decides to order Jerome into his quarters instead. Inside, he tells Jerome that he's gotten a notice that he's to report to a veterans hospital to have the plate in his head removed. Angry at being forcibly retired from the Army, he plans to shoot Jerome with the intent of being sent to prison instead. He also reveals that he knows about their fantasy game. He offers money for his own bet, saying that he'd like to take one of the worst recruits in his command and turn them into the best soldier he's seen. He then orders Jerome at gunpoint to disarm him. Jerome believes he can't do it but he tries amid Toomey's threats. He struggles for several seconds with Toomey, who won't give up his pistol at first but suddenly loosens his grip. Jerome regains his composure and suggests that Toomey get a good night's sleep. Toomey, smiling and now impressed with Jerome's newfound courage, tells Jerome that in order for his arrest to be properly executed, they need witnesses. When Jerome opens the door, he find Epstein & the rest of the platoon outside the door eavesdropping. Outside the barracks, in heavy rain, Toomey admits his crime to the unit and demands he be brought up on charges for threatening Jerome. Jerome suggests that the decision should be left up to the unit and asks Epstein's opinion. Epstein says there should be no charges but that Toomey should do 200 push-ups in front of the platoon. Toomey enthusiastically does.The platoon, having completed basic training, is next seen on a train heading to the Pacific. Jerome admits that everyone was scared but that they weren't deployed to combat because the atomic bombing of Japan took place before they arrived on the West Coast. He also reflects on how he found new respect for everyone in the company. Before leaving, Jerome took the opportunity to see Daisy one last time, remarking that she later married a doctor. Selridge decided on the Army as a career but never advanced beyond buck private. Wykowski settled in Albany, had a family and suffered from stomach problems. Carney became a teacher, a very reliable one. Epstein became the District Attorney of Brooklyn and spent his career battling organized crime. Jerome himself became a successful writer and had his own family.