Mulcahy's War

Most of my friends returned, some did not. My relatives served, my buddies served, some came back. Some came back, but didn't come back.

Only common thread is that very rarely does anyone speak of what they saw.

Mulcahy is the center of this one. When he tries to council a soldier who has a self inflicted wound, the man won't listen to someone who has not been in battle. So he travels with Radar to an aid station to pick up a man who is going to need surgery. This is all about how one reacts in circumstances which are foreign. There is some comic relief as Radar watches a crude effort at a tracheotomy. This is a bit odd since Radar has seen so much blood and guts as well as surgical procedures. There is some funny stuff when Frank is forced to do surgery on a dog (Sergeant Cupcake). The dog has saved another soldier's life and has been triaged just like the men.

This is a very good episode. Father Mulcahy is having a hard time figuring out how he can relate to a young soldier who doesn't think the Father knows what he's talking about since he's never been to the front line. So when Radar has to pick up an injured soldier Father Mulcahy goes with him against Col. Potter's orders. On the way back the injured soldier stops breathing and Father Mulcahy has to perform a tracheotomy with Hawkeye's guidance by radio. While performing this delicate procedure they are in shelling zones and Radar is having a panic attack. This is definitely Father Mulcahy's baltism by fire. Cpl. Cupcake had to have surgery on his paw after tripping a land mine to safe his handler. Burns wants to have him discharged and put in front of a firing squad until Hawkeye and Hunnicutt tell him the dog qualifies for a medal for bravery. Burns continues his antics after Mjr. Houlihan's engagement.