Lt. Commander Charles E. Madison (Garner) loves his job: as 'dog robber' his duties consist of rounding up scarce delicacies and services, while safely avoiding combat. Admiral William Jessup (Douglas), however, is intent on having a sailor as the first casualty on D-Day - preferably with a film crew filming him. Having fallen for his English motor pool driver Emily (Andrews), freewheeling Madison struggles to escape being sent off to land on Omaha Beach as the cameraman.