{{Expand section}} In late October 1943, a battalion of U.S. Marines have landed on Choiseul Island to create a diversion for the impending Allied invasion of Japanese held Bougainville Island. Four of them (Frank Lovejoy, Tony Curtis, Skip Homeier and [[Alan Wells  have been selected to do a reconnaissance patrol and find a French planter  and his daughter ([[Mary Murphy  who have sent a message to the Allies. The patrol must confirm that the message is authentic, and that the planter is still alive, who can give the Marines valuable information needed for a successful amphibious landing by the Allied forces.