Three soldiers return home from World War II and each is faced with his own set of problems. Two brothers in love with the same girl; race discrimination; gender discrimination in the work force; family betrayal; and a soldier's death.

The Sloans try to pay Gina to leave town when they learn she's pregnant, touching off a swell of support for the widowed war bride. Jeff's anonymous love poem to his brother's sweetheart goes astray.

The Sloans fire the Davises for helping Gina. Caroline and Charlie discuss birth control. Hank and Sarah's impending wedding depresses Jeff and Ginger.

Mike Sloan, Sr. tries to keep the workers from organizing when union organizer Al Kahn comes to town. Jeff and Ginger date publicly, Abe plots to get his job back by bringing Gina back into the Sloan family.

Union activity at the plant divides the town. Linda tries to talk her brother Hank out of becoming management while their mother confronts organizer Al about the danger he's brought to her family. Robert Davis joins the union after being attacked by racist co-workers, but has to fight his father on the issue.

Caroline's angry when her husband jealousy attacks Charlie over Ginger. Jeff and Ginger travel to Toldeo for a pregnancy test while Caroline strikes out at her husband by leaving town with a travelling salesman.

Gina finds a place, unaware that it was arranged by her hated former father-in-law. Charlie tells Ginger he married the wrong woman, but continues to make plans to start a family. Linda and Hank fight but manage to make improvements at the plant.

A dance contest promising a chance at a Hollywood screentest steps up competition between Ginger and Caroline, and sends Jeff to a dance studio for lessons. It also gives Mike Sr. a chance to charm workers out of unionizing, and allows Al Kahn to trip the light fantastic with Anne.

The Sloans' tactic of hiring blacks to scare the workers into leaving the union backfires when the new employees start joining up. Hank confronts his boss over his attempt to bring race into the union issue, Anne falls for organizer Al, and Ginger heads to Hollywood with Jeff.

Ginger sticks it out in California but Jeff heads back to Ohio. Anne crosses religious lines to date Al. The Davises go into business for themselves.

Gina has her baby, which is born with a serious illness. Anne attempts to reconcile with Al via Christmas cookies.

Linda is tempted by an offered management position just as the workers rebel over news of Ruth Sloan's new fur. Ruth accepts Gina and the baby into her home, and Mike Sloan tells Caroline he'll be ready to repay the Hailey's kindness to his daughter-in-law.

Linda gets a new view of her old boyfriend, Mike Sloan Jr., when old Army buddy Bill Caswell arrives in town. The Davis family searches for a misplaced gall bladder, and Anne and Al's relationship goes a step further. Jeff is accepted as a rookie ballplayer.

Jeff departs for spring training in Florida. The Davises face discrimination in getting a loan for their business.

Jeff's worries at training camp turn him toward a sports-savvy bar owner who happens to be female. Ginger copes with an amorous boss.

Caroline Hailey becomes a management spy, ruining the planned strike at the plant. Jeff makes the cut in camp but loses Ginger when she catches him red-handed.

Linda is suspected of being the management spy, and the tension over the union results in violence at the Metcalf home. Judy reunites Jeff and Ginger.

Sarah dies, and the Sloans beg Gina to leave the dangerous Metcalf house. Anne announces she's pregnant.

Jeff's hometown debut with the Indians brings everyone out to the ballgame. Meanwhile, Hank feels alienated from his family after learning that Al will soon be part of it; Grandma Davis plays matchmaker for Robert, who has another gal in mind.

Al lies to the wokers about union money, trying to pull them into a strike. Caroline tries to dissaude Charlie from participating in the strike by telling him she's pregnant. Anne is determined to raise her baby Catholic. Judy Owens moves to town.

The union goes on strike and as tensions inside the Sloan factory rise, Gina's resourcefulness keeps the situation from turning violent. Abe relents when he goes to argue with his striking son.

Hank moves out of the house as Anne prepares to marry Al. Charlie's growing closeness to Gina gets serious when he learns of Caroline's lies. The Davises are reluctant to accept help from their former employer despite the impossibility of getting a bank loan.

The Sloans refuse their son's last wish to have Gloria Davis, their black cook, sing at his funeral. Mike's Italian war bride, now a widow, confronts the girl he left behind.