When the army program which was supposed to send him to college was shut down in early 1944, he was assigned as a rifleman in an infantry division. Despite his inability to keep his mouth shut in response to verbal abuse from the anti-Semites in his company, he manages to hold his own by building a reputation of being willing and able to fight. Gerry's conflict with his squad leader escalates and they try to kill each other during combat.

After he recovers from his wounds and the war in Europe ends, he has a love affair with a French girl and a major internal conflict; will he marry her or his American sweetheart who has been waiting for him. He is frustrated because both women are saving sex for marriage and he wonders whether he'll have to wait until then to lose his virginity.