In Noumea, New Caledonia 1943, Lee Ashley (Deborah Kerr), the widow of a Paramarine lieutenant killed on the Battle of Bloody Ridge on Guadalcanal has joined the American Red Cross on the island to entertain American servicemen. Her leader at the service club, Kate Connors (Thelma Ritter) had initially been reluctant to have her assigned to New Caledonia lest she use her position as a pilgrimage to find out about her late husband. In addition to entertaining, serving the soldiers and giving French lessons, the Red Cross women are expected to help with the wounded — which Lee initially refuses to do.