When Sergeant Michael A. Delaquot, soldier patient Bed No. 42, walks out of the medical facility and into the Rustic Lodge, owner Russ Longstrong, a leader of former soldiers, unaware that the Sergeant has escaped from the psyche ward hands him the keys to Nathanial's convertible. What would have been a quick trip home becomes a hilarious adventure as the Sergeant is waylaid by the American civilians he's been sworn to protect while back at the medical facility bodies - alive and dead - go in and out of Bed No. 42 as Nurse Shipley and other members of the staff try to keep the news of the missing patient from leaking out and Russ leads his hapless men on a covert operation to get one of their own into the facility to cover for the AWOL soldier.