Wake Island

A voiceover traces the U.S. military presence on Wake Island up to November 1941, setting the stage for the coming conflict. The film frames Wake Island as a remote outpost where isolation and fortitude are tested. This prelude introduces the principal players who will shape the story.

U.S. Marine Corps Major Geoffrey Caton departs Pearl Harbor aboard the Pan American Clipper bound for Wake Island to assume command. He arrives to confront civilian contractor McClosky over project priorities. The clash signals the friction that will color operations on the island.

Caton arrives on Wake Island and immediately clashes with contractor McClosky over trench work. He identifies Privates Randall and Doyle as troublemakers and orders them to dig a large slit trench by hand. The incident highlights the tense mix of military discipline and civilian labor.

There are ongoing clashes between the military and civilians, including drills that simulate air raids. McClosky pushes his crew to complete trenches and living quarters on a tight schedule. The civilians' presence complicates the island's readiness for war.

On December 7, 1941, word arrives that Pearl Harbor has been attacked and Wake Island is placed on alert. The looming threat heightens the sense of urgency for the island garrison. Randall, nearing the end of his enlistment, faces a difficult decision about staying.

As enemy planes approach, Randall heads to a bomb shelter with the civilians. Four Americans are sent against 24 Japanese bombers; they down several planes but cannot prevent heavy bomb damage on the ground. The raid tests the island's defenses and the resolve of its defenders.

After the raid, Caton informs Randall that he is no longer a civilian. McClosky remains to dig trenches with his heavy equipment. Caton also tells pilot Lieutenant Bruce Cameron that his wife was killed at Pearl Harbor.

Hours into the bombardment, the Marines camouflage equipment and Caton orders them to hold their fire until the ships reach a long range. He refuses a Japanese call for surrender and opens fire when the ships are at about 4,700 yards, repelling the landing attempt and sinking several ships.

A reconnaissance flight spots a Japanese heavy cruiser that can fire on the island from outside the defenders' weapon range. Caton approves Cameron's plan to strip a fighter down to 15 gallons of fuel and a double bomb load to strike the cruiser.

Cameron is wounded by a Japanese fighter but manages to land his plane safely after the mission. Caton then asks Captain Lewis to fly back to Honolulu to provide intelligence to the U.S. Navy. Lewis refuses, and Caton makes it an order.

With large-caliber ammunition running low, Caton spreads his forces wider and uses smaller caliber guns to sustain the defense. Japanese air raids continue to inflict major damage and casualties on the island.

The Japanese press for surrender continues, but Caton replies with a defiant stance and orders his posts to act independently. With communications failing, the last man is sent out with a written message; McClosky asks for a weapon and they move to an abandoned machine-gun position where Caton mans the gun. The island is overrun, and the film ends with a voiceover declaring that this is not the end.