Malone is a slacker. He's a lazy Marine, always looking for a way out of work, a way to get someone else to handle responsibility. He's a thorn in his sergeant's side and an irritant to his fellow Marines, especially the ones he shares perimeter guard with in a bunker at a firebase in Vietnam. While setting up an ambush on patrol, Malone gets separated from his unit when a firefight breaks out. He is left behind and must make his way back to base alone. Once there, he must figure a way back into the base in the dead of night without being mistaken for the enemy -- the same enemy who is preparing a sneak attack on the base.