You Came Along

Three decorated USAAF officers return to Washington, D.C. after a combat tour in Europe. They are slated for a cross-country war-bond tour, and Bob is initially not allowed to accompany them. The misaddressed order and the looming mission set the stage for Ivy's unexpected role as their chaperone.

At the airport press conference, Bob slips away to find I. V. Hotchkiss, who turns out to be Ivy. He is incredulous that an ingénue would supervise three seasoned officers, and requests a private briefing room. Ivy stays calm and asserts control over the situation.

Ivy breaks up the kissing session between the officers and their girlfriends and escorts them to the Beech C-45 Expeditor. Her stern, professional demeanor clashes with Bob’s teasing nickname 'Hotcha,' which softens her just enough to keep order. The bond-tour arrangement begins under her supervision.

The trio boards the cross-country flight to Boston for the war-bond tour. Ivy starts to earn their grudging respect as she manages the men and enforces discipline on the journey. The dynamics between them begin to shift as the trip unfolds.

In Boston, the officers slip away from the bond drive to a nightclub, forcing Ivy to retrieve them from a dressing room. The men begin warming to Ivy, though Bob still treats her as a killjoy. The tone of the tour starts to soften amid the chaos.

Back at the Boston hotel, a mix-up leads to Bob undressing in Ivy's room while she is asleep. Shakespeare and Handsome burst in, triggering a chaotic but affectionate moment. The incident deepens the bond between Ivy and the officers in a humorous way.

During the flight to Chicago, Ivy learns that Shakespeare has an injured shoulder and Handsome has a prosthetic leg. When she asks about Bob, the two men become evasive, hinting at a deeper issue surrounding him. The mood darkens as the truth lingers just out of reach.

In Chicago, Shakespeare and Handsome attend a fashion show, then pay 50/50 for an expensive dress sent to Ivy with an 'Anonymous' signature twice. The playful secrecy deepens Ivy’s growing connection with the trio. They later share a nightclub dance that cements their budding romance.

In Seattle, Ivy sings 'Out of Nowhere' at a café while she plays piano with Shakespeare nearby. Flight surgeon Colonel Stubbs recognizes Shakespeare and mentions treating an unnamed Air Force officer for leukemia, hinting at Bob’s fate. Ivy realizes why Shakespeare and Handsome never leave Bob alone.

In Riverside, California, Ivy's sister Frances marries a naval aviator at the Mission Inn Fliers' Chapel. Frances tells Ivy she would marry her navy husband even if he knew he would not return. Inspired, Ivy marries Bob and vows to live life to the fullest, planning a Long Island home near their future base.

The newlyweds buy a house on Long Island near the base where Shakespeare, Handsome, and Bob will be stationed. Bob is ordered to report to duty overseas, telling Ivy that he is flying to London. The couple faces the hard reality of wartime separation.

At the airfield, Bob and Ivy say their farewells as his aircraft takes off. Ivy spots Colonel Stubbs boarding the flight and confronts the grim truth, choosing courage over despair. A ground crew member points her toward London, but the direction is misleading.

Back home, Ivy calls Stubbs' office and learns he is traveling to Walter Reed Hospital. She begins receiving letters bearing a British address, cleared through a friend in England, hinting at a fragile link to Bob’s fate. The waiting game intensifies as she holds on to that thread.

Shakespeare and Handsome arrive with a telegram announcing Bob's death at Walter Reed Hospital. Ivy endures the news with quiet resolve, clinging to memories of the man she married. The trio mourns together as the war moves on.

After Bob's funeral, Shakespeare and Handsome toast their fallen friend with Ivy nearby. A distant aircraft buzzes the neighborhood, and Ivy imagines hearing Bob's voice as if from heaven. The memory of their bond lingers beyond the farewell.