When the Navy orders that married officers have to be sent home after 24 months, Binghamton decides to force McHale to marry an old associate, Kate O'Hara, who is stuck on the island after an emergency landing.

Gruber's scheme to salt fake pearls in the lagoon backfires when Binghamton mistakes them for the real thing and evicts the 73 crew out of their camp.

Parker gets in hot water when the crew sends a chapter of his war novel to Parker's girlfriend Mary to impress her... and everyone thinks the story is real.