USNavy Ensign (Lieutenant junior grade) Dan Meyer feared a non-flying officer's career prospects -like his- aren't brilliant but tries to excel at his assignment, in charge of gun turret 1 on the battle ship USS Iowa, which sees action in every major war. When the crew tell him the budget never goes to necessary repairs and improvements on the 50 years old ship, he takes his Navy-retired father Donald's advice to file a detailed report above the well-connected captain Fred Moosally's head. When master chief Skelley, the ship's liaison with HQ, asks Meyer to execute artillery experiments which can impress the brass he eagerly accepts against objections from the crewmen, especially Petty Officer Dale Mortensen; the first test successfully sets a record. Alas the second, in turret 2, goes terribly wrong: an explosion destroys the turret and kills 47 sailors, which seals the fate of 16 inch-guns till further notice. Meyer protests in vain when evidence is willfully destroyed 'to spare the...