The Hunters

During the Korean War, Major Cleve 'Iceman' Saville, a World War II ace, returns to active duty with a burning eagerness to fly the F-86 Sabre. His commanding officer, Colonel Dutch Imil, assigns him command of a flight, throwing him back into leadership and frontline duty.

On his first mission under Saville’s command, Lieutenant Ed Pell abandons his element leader to chase MiG-15s, and another pilot is killed. The mistake reveals Pell’s talent but also a dangerous impulsiveness that unsettles the squadron.

Saville argues Pell should be reassigned to proper leadership, but Colonel Imil overrules him, saying Pell is a younger version of Saville who can still mature under his guidance. The decision solidifies Pell’s place in Saville’s unit and tests their mentorship dynamic.

Lieutenant Carl Abbott lacks confidence, and his worried wife Kristina asks Saville to look after him. Saville begins to see Abbott’s vulnerability and the strain his marriage places on his career. The personal tension foreshadows later choices.

Saville and Kristina openly acknowledge their mutual feelings, complicating Saville’s professional responsibilities with a dangerous personal entanglement. The romance raises the emotional stakes as missions continue. Their relationship becomes a heavy consideration in what follows.

Abbott makes a ruthless offer to Saville: his wife Kristina in return for a one-on-one chance with Casey Jones should they ever meet. Saville refuses the arrangement, calling it immoral and dangerous. The moment exposes an ugly underside to their rivalries.

On a mission soon after, Abbott tangles with Casey Jones and is shot down behind enemy lines. The incident heightens the sense of peril facing all three pilots. Saville’s concern for his men deepens as they face this new threat.

Saville shoots down Casey Jones, the most feared enemy ace, and searches for Abbott. When he spots Abbott’s parachute, he disobeys standing orders and crash-lands nearby to free him from the enemy patrol. The rescue tightens their bond but escalates the risk they face.

The three airmen press on through enemy territory toward friendly lines, aided by Pell’s strafing of nearby infantry. They are eventually forced to fight their way forward as Pell is shot down and the others keep going. The journey grows harsher with every mile.

A Korean Christian farmer and his family hide the airmen from a patrol, risking their lives. In their rush, a flight jacket is left behind, revealing the Americans’ presence and leading to the family’s execution. Saville and Pell later ambush and wipe out the patrol in vengeance, but Saville is wounded.

With the patrol avenged, the trio makes their way toward the safety of UN lines. Exhausted and hungry, they finally reach the relative security of the front and begin to regroup from the ordeal.

In a military hospital, Saville and Abbott convalesce from their injuries. Abbott is slated to be transferred back to the U.S., and the brushes with death reshape his priorities; he asks Kristina for another chance at their marriage, and she decides to go with him.