It's 1900 in New York City: Ten-year-old Charlie Miller and his trusted young companion Kay Martin are exploring the uncharted depths of Cental Park. He announces his attention to become an admiral. She echoes her mother's comment that 'it's admirable to have ambitions', and confirms her own by declining his offer of marriage. Kay's family move to Washington and contact is lost due to Charlie's apalling inability to write letters.

In 1912 Charlie is a naval student at Annapolis and they meet again. Kay has become a beautiful young woman, and is being paid attention to by Robert Johnson, a fellow naval student, Charlie's distant cousin and sworn enemy, especially as he regards Kay as somehow being his. Robert is top of the class, Charlie close to bottom. Both seek promotion and glory in battle.

Kay leaves with her parents for a six-month trip to England in 1914. While there World War One breaks out. After Germany begins unrestricted submarine warfare they are stuck there for the duration. During that time she marries an Englishman.

Charlie and Robert, having both lost Kay, eager to see action, and to get the better of each other, are disappointed first by the USA staying out of the war, then by being relegated to convoy escort duty when it does join.

In the Twenties they resort to attempts to outdo each other, with Robert receiving a top secret job in submarines, vessels which Charlie abhors almost as much as he does Robert.

Charlie counters by achieving high level appointments in the growing airship section. The airships are destroyed in a number of disasters and Charlie reverts to seeking a battleship command.

The Thirties see both vying for important commands as Europe races towards another war, and the Japanese Empire becomes an ever growing threat.

Pearl Harbor is attacked on 7th December 1941, and the USA goes to war: finally the two have their chance at glory.

But that glory is going to come via Charlie's personal hate: submarines. He reluctantly accepts a command in Australia. Allied forces are beaten back by Japanese victory after victory, while Kay's daughter Anne goes missing in the confusion. At the same time something becomes obvious to Charlie and his commanders: Robert Johnstone's fabulous torpedoes don't work.

Robert isn't going to admit that. BuOrd who supply the things won't admit that. A corrupt, unscrupulous senator in charge of the finance committee isn't going to admit that.

Somehow Charlie has to go against orders to prove it, while Robert is prepared to take any chance to prove the opposite.

Back in the United States both his concerned mother and his worried wife await his return to pick a bone with him.