美国军方在数不清的秘密行动中免不了牺牲一些优秀的指战员，但他们及其家属没有享受到政府足够的奖励和补助，对此忿忿难平的赫梅尔准将，以占领罗克岛、扣押81名观光客人为人质，向美国政府发难：42小时之内提出补偿办法，否则以旧金山为目标，发动一场生化毒气袭击。罗克岛1963年以前是设计最先进的监狱，易守难攻。现在，美国政府只有求助于唯一一位曾经从罗克岛上逃出的前英国情报官员约翰和联邦调查局的生化武器专家斯坦利。两人必须在30小时之内率特种部队潜入罗克岛，瓦解赫梅尔准将的计划。成千上万人的生命财产安全，就全靠他们这次行动了。

John Baumhackle recalls the early days of the Vietnam War when more and more troops were being sent into combat every month. In 1968 John's number came up and he was drafted into the conflict. Buying a camera at his company store before shipping off, he captured many battles while in a helicopter. John is near the front lines when President Nixon made the controversial decision to push into Cambodia. In John's view, this saved American lives.