Aid Station (M*A*S*H)
| "Aid Station" | |
|---|---|
| M*A*S*H episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 3 Episode 19 (67th overall) |
| Directed by | William K. Jurgensen |
| Written by | Larry Gelbart, Simon Muntner |
| Original air date | February 11, 1975 |
"Aid Station" is the 19th episode of the third season of M*A*S*H. It was originally broadcast on February 11, 1975.
It's breakfast, supposedly, and everyone has something to say about the questionable food being served. Henry soon calls an officers' meeting in order to address an emergency on the front lines. Some nearby aid stations received heavy shelling, and as a result some personnel were killed. The 4077th must send some stand-in staff: a surgeon, a nurse, and a corpsman until replacements arrive. Margaret immediately volunteers while the surgeons avoid eye contact. Thus, they draw sausages (instead of straws) to see who gets to go. Hawkeye is the "winner", and the lucky corpsman (chosen by a random drawing by Father Mulcahy) is Klinger.
As each prepares to leave camp, Klinger tells Radar to whom each of his dresses should go in case he doesn't make it back, Margaret gives Frank a stern warning not to touch any other nurse while she's gone, and Hawkeye and Trapper share a goodbye of their own in the Swamp, ending with a toast to the Ritz Brothers. The trio soon get a flat tire, which Margaret insists on fixing to avoid Hawkeye injuring his hands (being a surgeon), while Klinger keeps an eye out for snipers. Upon arriving at the aid station, Hawkeye gets the place organized, and Klinger patches a call in to Radar, which is cut short when exploding live shells land near the station. Back at camp, Radar signs off, looking very distressed.
The episode then parallels the chaotic life-and-death situation at the aid station with the relatively calmer atmosphere at the 4077th:
In Henry's office the next day, Radar informs Henry that Margaret, Hawkeye, and Klinger are all well, safe, and on their way back. Just outside the camp, their jeep rolls up to the camp's outskirts. Hawkeye and Klinger praise Margaret, then just before they drive into camp, Klinger replaces his combat helmet with a ladies blue lace cap. In the Swamp, Hawkeye explains that Margaret was "a trooper, above and beyond the call", much to Trapper's disbelief. In Margaret's tent, Frank is more than a little miffed to hear that She and Hawkeye got along quite well at the aid station and the Margaret "has a headache". Klinger is upset that Radar already gave away nearly all of Klinger's dresses.
Later, in the mess tent, all the officers sit around enjoying some coffee, and Frank complains even more about their terrible conditions. Margaret and Hawkeye's eyes meet in a moment of understanding, and the episode ends.
HAWKEYE: Must be rough up at the front, huh?
TRAPPER: It is in the movies.
HAWKEYE: There's a letter in my locker.
TRAPPER: Ok.
HAWKEYE: It's my will.
TRAPPER: Right.
HAWKEYE: I leave everything to the Benjamin Franklin Pierce Memorial Brothel.
TRAPPER: (laughs) I'll deliver it in person.
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