During the Korean War, the lieutenant in charge of a Marine rifle platoon is killed in battle. Before he dies, he places the platoon's sergeant, who's black, in charge. The sergeant figures on having trouble with two men in his platoon: a private who has much more combat experience than he does, and a racist Southerner who doesn't like blacks in the first place and has no intention of taking orders from one.
Alan Ladd
as Sgt. Kincaid
Sidney Poitier
as Sgt. Eddie Towler
Glenn Corbett
as Pvt. Wade, Medic
James Darren
as Pvt. Cotton
Lee Kinsolving
as Pvt. Dean
Richard Davalos
as Pvt. Casey
Joseph Gallison
as Pvt. Jackson
Paul Baxley
as Pvt. Lazitech
Ana María Lynch
as Maya
Paul Richards
as Pvt. Bracken
Charles Quinlivan
as Lt. Earl D. Toland
Mort Sahl
as Cpl. Crane
