During World War II, Brig. Gen. Merrill (Jeff Chandler) commands a unit of 3000 soldiers, known as "Merrill's Marauders," on a secret mission through Burma, which is occupied by the Japanese. With the help of an elite intelligence troop, headed by 2nd Lt. Stockton (Ty Hardin), the Marauders manage to traverse hundreds of miles of jungle unnoticed. But, as soon as they make it out alive, they're informed by military higher-ups that they've completed only the first of many harrowing objectives.