In high school, five young men excelled in the athletic program, and they soon became the best of friendsaeven though their families had little in common. Scott, Mark and Paul were from a blue-collar background. Kenji was a Japanese-American, whose parents prospered operating a grocery and dry-goods store in Japantown, and Corky was the son of a wealthy architect and real-estate entrepreneur. When the U.S. entered World War II, Scott, Mark, Paul and Corky enlisted. Kenji, however, who was visiting Japan at the time hostilities began, adisappeareda in the turmoil of a world at war. Before leaving for overseas, Scott and Sophia, a Navy nurse, planned for their wedding. Unfortunately, he was rushed into combat before the two lovers could marry. Although critically wounded in the South Pacific, Scott recovered in time to participate in the Okinawa campaignathe last major confrontation with the Japanese army before the war ended.