In December 1943, Lieutenant Joe Peterson, who is stationed in Italy with his combat unit, is granted leave and searches for the grave of a fallen comrade. Here he meets Lieutenant Eleanor MacKay, with whom he builds up an intimate relationship during further meetings. When Peterson is ordered back to the front, he asks Eleanor to marry him, which she surprisingly accepts. Through his love for Eleanor, Peterson experiences his war deployment completely differently than before. He is afraid of dying and is no longer as daring and willing to fight. As a result, he causes the death of a major through a mistake. He himself is wounded and marries Eleanor after his recovery. But Peterson feels guilty about the major's death and cannot enjoy his happiness; on the contrary, he returns to his comrades at the front, where he is reported missing shortly afterwards. Eleanor sets off on a search....