At Camp Cathcart, Mississippi, the Negro troops return from a morning of crawling through mud to the taunts of the white soldiers. Meanwhile, a Mr. Tully and a Dr. Reinstein are requesting two battalions of colored soldiers for an experiment in enhancing the performances of fighting men. The project is otherwise classified, even from the camp commander Major Brackett….
Sgt. Elias explains to the men that the unpleasant training was necessary in case they are ever sent to fight: they need to be able to kill without hesitation, regardless of the poor conditions they may have just come through. Isaiah shows off a photo of Faith with their newborn daughter Sarah; a soldier named Larsen dreams of killing white men; Maurice wants assurance that the cause they are fighting for is just. When mocked, Maurice storms out of the barracks to the colored men’s urinal in back of the officers’ latrine. There he is confronted by a trio of racists who insult him; he throws a punch but is overwhelmed and beaten by the other men. The confrontation is interrupted by the Major escorting his guests to the latrine; Maurice refuses to implicate his attackers, making light of the incident. Later, Elias tells them they will be taking part in a night training exercise, which many suspect is some sort of punishment for Maurice’s troubles. That evening, as the troops are assembled under the watchful eyes of Tully and Reinstein, Colonel Walker Price from Military Intelligence relieves Major Brackett of his command and announces they are shutting down the base. When Brackett questions these orders, Price draws his pistol and shoots him through the head. When 300 Negro troops are loaded into trucks, they are driven off and hear in the background the sound of gunfire, eliminating all witnesses to the project….