Maj. Peter Compton is assigned to a U.S. Army Airborne unit in Southern Italy, part of NATO's rapid deployment force. A small force of 46 men commanded by Maj. Compton on a humanitarian mission, directed by the U.S. President, is subverted by political Intervention resulting in U.S. losses. A few years later Peter Compton is involved in Vietnam U.S. POW rescue, only to be subverted again by politics within the U.S. government, which led to a monumental tragedy. Peter Compton makes a career change to punish the people responsible.