During the Korean War, two Americans are held in a North Korean POW camp. One is Dr. Adrian Carmichael and has a wonderful family waiting for him back home in the US. The other, Paul Quentin, has no family waiting for him. The two American POWs are best friends and survive the harsh treatment in Communist captivity by swapping stories from their past. Adrian has told Paul so much about his family that Paul feels as if he has known Adrian's folks all his life. From Adrian's stories, Paul knows every little detail about Adrian's past life, about his marriage to Alice, about his two small children, about his parental home, about his parents and neighbors. Adrian also shows Paul photographs of his family members, thus aiding Paul in having a clearer image of Adrian's life and loved ones. Unfortunately, among the few letters Adrian is allowed to receive inside the POW camp is a recent one, sent by his wife, informing him that she has fallen in-love with another man, named Howard Gray, and that she will no longer wait for Adrian's return from Korea. Upon learning this, Adrian is determined to somehow prevent any man from raising his children. During an attack by the U.S. Air Force against the POW camp, many of the Communist guards are killed, allowing many prisoners to escape to freedom. Among the escapees are Adrian and Paul but Adrian is in bad shape due to the punishment and torture previously inflicted on him by the camp guards. Adrian dies in Paul's arms but before that he forces Paul to promise to visit Adrian's family in the US and tell them everything. He also makes Paul promise to visit Adrian's wife and children. If the wife has a new man in her life, Paul must ensure, by any means necessary, that Adrian's two children will not belong to that man. A shell-shocked Paul interprets this request as a moral duty to kill Adrian's children rather than allow another man to have them. Back in the US, Paul is slowly recovering in the Psychiatric Ward of a Veterans Hospital. Due to some progress in his case, he receives a weekend pass. Paul sets-out to visit Adrian's family and fulfill all the promises he made to his dead friend and comrade-in-arms.