Dying in a Korea prisoner-of-war camp, Adrian Carmichael learns his wife Alice has been unfaithful back home. He makes friend Paul Quentin promise not to let the Carmichaels' children be raised by another man, no matter what.
Paul escapes from camp and is treated for trauma in a U.S. hospital for veterans. Having no family of his own, he visits Carmichael's and is made welcome. Alice has ended her affair with Howard Gray, but he is blackmailing her. Paul becomes consumed with his friend's last request and has terrible visions of killing Carmichael's kids.
After a fight with Gray, he comes to realize that a return to the VA hospital is necessary. Treated like a part of the family now, Paul believes his frightening promise to be a thing of the past.
