Merry Christmas, buddies! In Italy during World War II, American soldiers celebrate the season with a Christmas tree, cookies from home and a guest: an orphan boy named Dondi who finds his way into their barracks and into their hearts. Then comes the day the soldiers ship off for home. Little Dondi, longing to stay with his "Mr. G.I. Buddies," stows away on the troopship, sure that America has room for one more immigrant. David Janssen heads a cast of popular character actors, including Arnold Stang, Robert Strauss and Gale Gordon, in a heartwarming tale based on Gus Edson and Irwin Hasen's popular newspaper comic strip that ran from the '50s to the '80s. Welcome to the good ol' USA, Dondi!