Television version of the classic train story of Casey Jones, the engineer of the steam-engine powered "Cannonball Express".

It's 1885 in Arizona and an Army Captain has dispersed his troops to keep the whites off of Government land thereby keeping the peace with the Apaches. But there are those in Tucson that want the miners back looking for gold and they put pressure on officials in Washington. Soon a new commander arrives, the troops are recalled, and the miners go after gold. Whites then kill a miner with an arrow so they can attack the Indians hoping the troops wipe them out when they retaliate.

Flagwaving story of a new American destroyer, the JOHN PAUL JONES, from the day her keel is laid, to what was very nearly her last voyage. Among the crew, is Steve Boleslavski, a shipyard welder that helped build her, who reenlists, with his old rank of Chief bosuns mate. After failing her sea trials, she is assigned to the mail run, until caught up in a disparate battle with a Japanese sub. After getting torpedoed, and on the verge of sinking, the Captain, and crew hatch a plan to try and save the ship, and destroy the sub.