A U.S. submarine captain fights, along with his crew, against the Japanese in the World War II Pacific Theater of Operations.

We start with his boat newly arrived in western Australia, and operating in enemy waters in Southeast Asia and the Philippine Islands.

He also tries more than once to sink Japan's biggest oil tanker, but is foiled by defective torpedoes. He does finally succeed on his way from Australia to Pearl Harbor to sink this elusive target.

He also romances the sister of his late wife.

There are more adventures going in the latter half of the war, going from Hawaii to the Japanese home islands.