▁glad ▁to ▁have ▁his ▁son ▁back ▁despite ▁gr ieving ▁over ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁his ▁other ▁son , ▁P ete . ▁ ▁P ete ' s ▁wid ow , ▁A gg ie ▁Hall ▁( An ne ▁Francis ), ▁conf ides ▁to ▁her ▁friend ▁Caroline ▁( C lor is ▁Le ach man ) ▁it ▁is ▁difficult ▁to ▁be ▁around ▁her ▁brother - in - law ▁without ▁pain ful ▁rem ind ers ▁of ▁her ▁lost ▁husband . ▁A ▁welcome - home ▁party ▁is ▁held ▁for ▁Capt . ▁Hall , ▁surprising ▁Colonel ▁D ud ley ▁Smith ▁( F ay ▁Ro ope ), ▁a ▁friend ▁of ▁Ed , ▁Sr . ▁He ▁finds ▁out ▁that ▁Capt . ▁Hall ' s ▁father ▁is ▁una ware ▁that ▁his ▁son ▁is ▁about ▁to ▁be ▁tried ▁in ▁a ▁court - mart ial ▁for ▁collaboration ▁with ▁the ▁enemy . ▁Hall ' s ▁father ▁asks ▁his ▁son ▁if ▁the ▁charges ▁are ▁true , ▁and ▁receives ▁a ▁stark , ▁simple , ▁reply : ▁" yes ". ▁Ed ▁Sr . ▁cru elly ▁challeng es ▁his ▁son : ▁" Why ▁didn ' t ▁you ▁just ▁die ?" ▁ ▁Major ▁Sam ▁M oul ton ▁( W end ell ▁Core y ) ▁pro sec utes ▁the ▁case . ▁He ▁calls ▁e y ew it ness es ▁who ▁test ify ▁that ▁at ▁the ▁P OW ▁camp ▁in ▁the ▁winter ▁of ▁ 1 9 5 1 , ▁Hall ▁made ▁speech es ▁and ▁signed ▁documents ▁on ▁the ▁enemy ' s ▁beh alf . ▁A ▁fellow ▁prisoner ▁and ▁much - decor ated ▁officer ,