Seaman Bookser, the youngest member of the crew, goes ashore on liberty and reappears with a new, equally young wife in tow. The marriage creates headaches for Captain Morton, and a challenge for Roberts, eager to help the young couple.
Doug Roberts finally gets his transfer, but his replacement is the well-meaning but inept, overage Horatio Nelson Simms, who also offends the captain on first meeting him. Roberts must decide if the ship can do without him--or not.