M*A*S*H

Correction: As mentioned, Klinger's rash is psychosomatic. It wasn't necessarily the uniform that caused it. It was being forced into it by Colonel Potter. Hawkeye says women's clothes are Klinger's personal defense against the Army and lack of that defense is causing him to break out.

LorgSkyegon

I stand corrected, I had forgotten that angle.

Movie Nut

Quo Vadis, Captain Chandler - S4-E9

Corrected entry: When Sydney Freedman asked Capt Chandler if he wasn't in the Army or a B-29 bombardier, that would be impossible. The U.S. Air Force was established Sept 18th, 1947. They controlled all bombing missions and bombers with only U.S. Air Force crews only.

Correction: This may be taking "The Army" too literally. It may technically be incorrect, but in this case, one probably could substitute "The Armed Forces", especially out of the mouth of Sidney, who certainly isn't a stickler for military tables of organisation. What bugs me about this is that from the writers' perspective the distinction would have been much more of a given. I guess one could argue either way, so let the voting begin.

Doc

The Interview - S4-E24

Corrected entry: In many episodes throughout the show, much is made of the supposedly extreme weather the people of the MASH unit faced (especially in "The Interview," the final episode of season four). In actual fact, Korea is in the temperate zone. Although high humidity would have made winter temps seem colder and summer temps hotter, staff from many places in the states would not find these extreme in the least.

Correction: Korean winters might usually be merely cold rather than bitter, but the winter of 1950 was bitter. Additionally, a lot of the fighting in that year was in the interior at high altitudes; Chosin Reservoir is about 1,000 m ASL. And at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, the mercury bottomed out at -35°F (-37°C) - only 10°F warmer than the record lowest temperature ever recorded in Korea. Troops were fighting out in the open in these conditions, with little of no shelter, for some 11 days. And that's just the lowest temperature recorded by a trained meteorologist; some unofficial thermometers at the hospital broke the -50 mark.

Correction: Nineteen Eighty-Four is a book written by George Orwell and published in 1949. Pratt had obviously read it by the early 50's.

Guy

Soldier of the Month - S4-E12

Corrected entry: When Radar gets his breakfast he is given a large dollop of mashed potatoes. When he sits down to eat, the potatoes are gone and there is something unidentifiable in their place. (00:02:30)

jle

Correction: The mashed potatoes remain on the tray throughout. We see Klinger pour gravy over them as Radar reaches the end of the serving line, which is why the colour is different when Radar takes his food to the table.

pinkwafer

M*A*S*H mistake picture

Divided We Stand - S2-E1

Visible crew/equipment: In the opening scene where General Clayton is explaining the 4077 to the psychiatrist, the scene changes to the outdoor set and the camera pans to the right. As the camera pans past the hospital, a white 1970s era shuttle van can be seen driving into the set in the upper right corner of the screen. (00:01:35)

John Hunt

More mistakes in M*A*S*H

Frank Burns: You disgust me!
Hawkeye: You're right, Frank... I discussed you with everyone I know and we all find you disgusting.

More quotes from M*A*S*H

Abyssinia, Henry - S3-E24

Trivia: There were no American planes shot down over the Sea of Japan during the Korean conflict. It is rumoured that producer/director Larry Gelbart knew that, but wrote Henry Blake's death scene as he was very unhappy with the way Mclean Stevenson had left the show, and was determined to make it clear that there was no way he would be coming back.

More trivia for M*A*S*H

Dear Dad - S1-E12

Question: A number of times it is mentioned that the outfit is unarmed, yet several times, Frank has a rifle, or a pistol, and once Klinger had a grenade, and the guards and Klinger, while on sentry duty, has a rifle. Was this standard, or is this a mistake?

Answer: Even an Army field hospital would have SOME weapons for self-defense if the enemy attacked. What's meant is that it's not a combat outfit, and therefore wouldn't have enough weapons to actually attack anyone. (It's also mentioned a few times that the Officer of the Watch is supposed to carry a pistol at all times, but Hawkeye refuses to do it when he's in charge and Colonels Blake and Potter don't enforce the rule).

Captain Defenestrator

Answer: The Geneva Convention allows even doctors to carry a sidearm to be used in their self defense or the defense of their patients, however it is rare to do so.

stiiggy

Answer: As an old medical unit staffer, my experience is that med units have combat units assigned to defend them. Usually it was marines.

Answer: My old doctor (now deceased) served in Korea during the War. He was required to carry a sidearm anytime he was not in the hospital.

More questions & answers from M*A*S*H

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