The Deep Six

Susan Cahill grows jealous of Alec's business flirtations, even as he courts her with quiet charm. She accepts an invitation to dinner on Long Island, initiating the budding romance. The tension between obligation and desire sets the emotional tone for what follows.

Alec receives a telegram ordering him to report for active duty in the U.S. Navy, a commitment he tries not to reveal to Susan. He takes Susan home to meet his mother, who is hurt by the secrecy and by the clash between pacifist upbringing and wartime duty. Alec explains his plan to marry after his service, balancing love with obligation.

Alec reports to the destroyer USS Poe at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, where the captain quickly warms to him. He befriends the ship's doctor Blanchard, while Lt. Edge disapproves of Alec's Quaker background and his role as assistant gunnery officer. Alec earns respect through calm leadership and by handling a gambling-related incident with tact.

Alec introduces himself to the gunnery division and tries to keep the peace, catching the men gambling but choosing not to overreact. Chief Petty Officer Frenchy Shapiro congratulates him on handling the situation, and the two form an unlikely friendship despite rank differences. The crew begins to see Alec as a man of principle under pressure.

The Poe rescues three survivors from a sunken German submarine, and Blanchard and Alec attempt to treat them humanely. Edge angrily objects, accusing Alec of lacking the necessary hatred for the enemy. Alec defends his stance, arguing that courage and decency can coexist even in war.

In San Francisco, Alec begins drawing a portrait of Frenchy to give to his daughter. The captain grants five days of liberty to visit Susan, who has traveled west after Blanchard's call. They plan to marry and stay at Pebble Beach, but news of tragedy back home complicates their hopes.

Alec and Susan decide to marry immediately and travel to Pebble Beach to stay with Susan's sister. However, the sister's husband is killed in action, and Alec chooses to return to the Poe to marry Susan only after safely completing his duty. The vow to duty weighs heavily against the pull of love.

At sea in the Aleutian Islands, an approaching aircraft prompts the gunners to open fire, but Alec cannot bring himself to give the order. The plane turns out to be American, and the captain rearranges assignments. Edge condemns Alec, while Alec insists that heroism can take many forms.

During a Japanese air attack, a bomb crashes through the deck without exploding. With Frenchy's help, Alec throws the unexploded ordnance overboard, saving the crew from certain disaster. The act earns quiet recognition from the captain and lightens the stigma of his earlier hesitation.

A funeral service honors sailors killed in the air attack, and the captain reminds the crew that Alec and Frenchy's bravery may have saved many lives. The crew pays tribute to their quiet courage under fire. The moment deepens Alec's resolve and the crew's respect for him.

At Dutch Harbor, Alec tries to intervene as tensions erupt between Poe sailors and Merchant Marines. He is knocked to the ground by a merchant mariner and, later, unconscious after a blow from Frenchy in the ensuing skirmish. He confesses to Blanchard that he felt an urge to kill, prompting a corrective, compassionate conversation about wartime strain.

Alec volunteers to lead a dangerous mission ashore to rescue stranded airmen and retrieve reconnaissance photos. He teams with Frenchy and several crew members, linking up with the airmen but facing heavy resistance from Japanese soldiers along the beach. He orders fire to protect his team as the operation unfolds.

Four enemy soldiers emerge; Frenchy is wounded and dies shortly after. Alec kills the four enemies to protect his friend, and he himself is wounded in the action. Frenchy's death marks a turning point for Alec, binding duty and personal loss in a new resolve.

Soon after, Alec returns to Susan with Frenchy's completed portrait intended for his daughter. The gesture offers a human moment of connection amid the war’s brutality and cements the personal cost of his service. The ending leaves open the future of his romance and honors Frenchy's memory.