Ira Hayes (Tony Curtis), a young Pima Indian, enlists in the Marine Corps, befriending Pvt. James B. Sorenson (James Franciscus) before he's killed in action during the Battle of Iwo Jima. Hayes becomes an unlikely hero after being captured in the famous photograph, but his life spirals out of control as he struggles with bigotry, alcoholism, and the pressures of fame, ultimately leading to a tragic death at age 32.