Plot hole: Hawkeye calls a number of people into the mess tent over the PA - the ones he allegedly suspects of being behind the thefts he is suspected of himself. Interestingly enough, Ho Jon, later revealed to be the guilty party, is not on Hawkeye's list - yet he shows up uninvited, just to be ensnared by Hawk's clever ploy. Note also that he had no way of knowing what the purpose of the meeting was, so we cannot ascribe to him the motive of wanting to find out how much Hawkeye knew.
Suggested correction: Of course Ho-Jon would come to the tent; it makes perfect sense, since he is the "houseboy" of the Swamp and, consequently, a sort of personal assistant to the Swampmen (Hawkeye, Trapper, and Spearchucker). He simply followed Trapper and Spearchucker to the tent after the announcement, probably figuring they might need him in some way.
It's late evening. It's, as far as anyone knows, an official meeting. Ho Jon isn't "standing attendance", he's sitting at the table (which is very convenient for him to hide his hands later). If he WERE standing attendance, it would be the only time in the series he does so in the mess tent instead of the swamp. It would also be the only time he's attending a meeting anyone called. Also he isn't a "house boy" - that would be totally out of character for Hawkeye, see "The Moose" - he's more an adoptee and roommate who makes himself useful. And last but not least: What a convenient coincidence, that just the guy who turns out to be the culprit would turn up uninvited, because he "might be needed" instead of staying the hell away because he is guilty and suspicious of the whole affair! Had - HAD, which he hasn't - Trapper said "Ho Jon, you better come too", you could call it a Deus Ex, but the way it is, it's just a plot hole, to quote Margaret Houlihan, "period, end of sentence."
Hot Lips Is Back in Town - S7-E19
Corrected entry: The Nurses were hanging pantyhose to dry in their tent. One piece pantyhose were not available until 1959. This episode was supposedly 1952.
Correction: Please rewatch this scene, the hosiery we see is appropriate for the time. When Radar shows up at the tent, Nugent is hanging thigh-high stockings which are single leg type hosiery, not "pantyhose" which are the waist-high two legged type (00:18:55).
Corrected entry: Unless the regulations for the time period were different, the belt buckles seen with the regular fatigues is incorrect. They should be the same color as the belt and/or uniform. The brass buckles seen were used with the dress uniforms only. Also, any rank insignia worn by officers would have been dull in color so that they would be less of a target to snipers.
Correction: There were no dull insignias in the Korean war.
If so, then I stand corrected.
Corrected entry: Klinger has a rash from his uniform. However, in earlier and later episodes, he wears uniforms without a problem.
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.
I stand corrected, I had forgotten that angle.
Continuity mistake: In this episode, as they come from the pad, Hawkeye told them to get his canvas tub. But in "None Like It Hot", he had one that caused a lot of trouble and they traded it away for ice cream.
Suggested correction: There is no reason he couldn't have gotten another one.
Corrected entry: As Hawkeye calls the names over the P.A., the people were already on the way and entering the tent.
Correction: They were simply overlaying the PA announcement with the video of the people arriving to create dramatic effect and/or save time. It isn't a mistake.
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.
Corrected entry: Major Houlihan is frequently shown with very long fingernails. This is against Army regulations and highly impractical in the Operating Room.
Correction: Margaret herself is the highest ranked nurse. As such, only the commanding officer of the unit would be able to put her on report. Neither Blake nor Potter seem to care about such things when they do not affect the stability of the unit. As well, Margaret herself is very well connected among the local generals and as such would be able to get away with minor details like that.
Continuity mistake: When the two soldiers get into a brawl in Post-Op, it's daytime. When Potter talks to Mulcahy, it's night. Then Klinger tells Mulcahy he's needed to break up the fight, it's daytime again.
Suggested correction: In scene 1, set in the day, the Greek soldier is wearing a dark blue jacket and a light blue shirt. In scene 2, set at night, Father Mulcahy is wearing a black shirt and a brown robe, and resting before bed. In scene 3, set during the day, Father Mulcahy is wearing a black shirt, a sweatshirt, and a baseball cap. He is punching a speed bag. Klinger says there has been another fight between the Greek and the Turk. The Greek is not wearing a jacket. Scene 3 is from a different day than Scene 1.
Factual error: While eating, General Haggarty was told about how Conway should be a cook. Haggarty said "Change his (Conway's) MOS. MOS means Military Occupational Specialty, your job in service. Since M*A*S*H was set in the early 50's, Haggarty wouldn't have said that, because 'MOS' wasn't used until 1965.
Suggested correction: "MOS" most certainly was used during the Korean War. In 1965, the MOS system was simply changed, not created.
I perhaps misspoke. It was titled PMOS, and revamped in 1965 as just MOS. My apologies and thanks for the info.
According to "Introduction to Special Regulations SR 615-25-15, Enlisted Personnel Military Occupational Specialties" from the Department of the Army in November 1950, it's MOS. The "P" just means primary, but MOS was/is used way more than PMOS.
Corrected entry: When Hawkeye takes Lt. Hoolihan's blood pressure, he attaches the cuff below her elbow. Blood pressure cuffs must go above the elbow.
Correction: I haven't seen the episode, but a blood pressure cuff does not need to be above the elbow, it just needs to be over an artery, any artery close enough to the surface to get a reading. Often, if the arms are too large, or if there are problems with the upper arm, a cuff may be placed below the elbow, around the wrist, even on legs if there is no other place, though that doesn't happen very often.
Correction: Technically, that is correct. The real error is that the cuffs use Velcro, which wasn't invented till well after Korean War.
The Abduction of Margaret Houlihan - S5-E6
Other mistake: As Frank cocks his gun in the Swamp, the slide locks open and he has to hit the slide release to get it to move forward. Next he fiddles with the hammer. Next we hear the shot go off. Burns' excuse later is that he was cleaning The Gun and it went off (although admittedly, Frank doesn't always stick to the truth that religiously in situations like that). The slide on a semi-automatic locks open only if the magazine is empty or missing. The Gun locking open is also a clear, unmistakable indication that the breech is empty. He would have to insert a filled mag, then pull the slide back again to chamber a round before The Gun even had the chance to go off. One never does that while cleaning a gun. One does what Frank did to begin with: Pull the slide back without a magazine inserted to make sure the breech is empty.
Suggested correction: Frank has demonstrated on numerous occasions that he does not follow the rules of safe gun handling, so ascribing his failure to do so is not a mistake.
You are missing the point. His gun is demonstrably unloaded when we last see it. He would either have to change his mind about cleaning it and load it instead, or load it first and then try to clean it (which makes even less sense), neither of which is not supported by anything in the dialogue.
Other mistake: Many times during the series, soldiers are around the OR carrying a loaded weapon (magazine attached for example), when there is a sign outside the entrance that says "all weapons must be cleared before entering the building" or similar.
Suggested correction: With the rampant rule breaking seen in the show, why would this be a mistake?
Aid Station - S3-E19
Other mistake: After Hawkeye gets back from Aid Station, Trapper is making a cup of tea. When he tries to hang the tea bag on a nail on the tent post, it unwinds and falls to the floor.
Suggested correction: This isn't a mistake, especially since we don't see it hanging back up in another continuous shot.
Corrected entry: In this episode, Potter and company are being introduced to white phosphorous that is starting to be used. But in Season 2, Episode 1, "Divided We Stand", as Henry and Hawkeye come out of the O.R. a wounded soldier is brought in on a Jeep with white phosphorous burns, and they knew what to do.
Correction: Even if they knew how to deal with it at the time, the information might not have been common knowledge. As WP came to be used more frequently, the Army would send instructors to field hospitals to make certain everyone was up on the latest technique for dealing with it. (Col. Potter was also not in the earlier episode you mention, and he wants to hear the information).
Understood, but Potter was there in Season 4, Episode 24 "Deluge" when a WP case was brought in.
Remember that the main plot of this episode is that Col. Potter made a rookie mistake that almost cost a kid's life, and is fearing that he's too old to hack it as a doctor anymore. If the Army's learned something he doesn't know, he wants to know it.
Correction: "New" to the doctors on the front lines and "new" to the doctors back at HQ could be two different things.
It might be old news to the 4077th but new to the Army in general. Without asking a real Army doctor, Instructional briefings like this aren't optional. They don't ask if you already know it. The point of the scene is NOT "How many times has the 4077th already done this?" The point is "Potter thinks he's too old and can't hack it anymore, so IF the Army has learned something new, HE wants to hear it." And also shows us "Potter is on edge about something. Maybe we should call Sidney Green."
You could be the world's top expert in White Phosphorus, but if you're in the Army, and they tell you "You're going to attend a lecture on White Phosphorus," That's called an order and you do it, Mr. White Phosphorus, whether you like it or not.
Correction: Captain Simmons said the new weapon is "white phosphorus rounds." Phosphorus before then was likely used as part of artillery shells.
Correction: I know you can't worry about MASH's timeline or you'll go insane, but six seasons pass between this episode and that one. The Army medics could have learned some new things about treating the injuries in whatever time passed. And again, Col. Potter thinks he's slipping in this episode, so he wants to hear every word, and that's the main point of the scene.
Baby, It's Cold Outside - S7-E9
Factual error: As Hawkeye performs CPR on the hypothermic soldier, he pumps his arms from his ellbows. CPR is done by keeping the arms stiff and pumping with the whole upper body. Hawkeye as a surgeon would know that. Fun Fact: You can perform CPR one-handed in a pinch, but only as long as you keep your arms stiff.
Suggested correction: True, but doing CPR the real way is going to likely seriously injure the actor it is being performed upon.
Explaining why mistakes occur does not invalidate them.
Chest compressions can definitely be performed by pumping from the elbow, one or two handed. The first documented use was in 1891, so Hawkeye would be aware of it. However, modern CPR standards, including straight arm procedures, were not developed until at least 1960 by the American Heart Association. Using straight arms and bending at the hips uses the larger muscle groups of the core and legs, which provides more control, as well as stamina. This is not an error for the Korean War era.
Additionally, what Lorg said - you don't want to hurt the actor, you can see his shoulders rise as his arms straighten, giving the illusion of compressions. There is another episode where Hawkeye is performing chest compressions similarly, and yells at the unconscious patient that his arms are getting tired, which is what would happen with bent elbow compressions, and one of the reasons modern technique uses straight arms.
Corrected entry: In the Swamp, Hawkeye, Trapper and Radar are playing with red backed cards, and Ugly John is holding blue back cards.
Correction: Being in the middle of nowhere and a mobile facility, it's not hard to imagine a situation where some cards from both decks got lost and they decided to combine two partial decks. (They might then choose to ignore the fact that they could tell which cards are from which deck out of sportsmanship).
Correction: Ugly John had been sleeping for two hours. The others grabbed a new deck to avoid waking him up.
Revealing mistake: In Margaret's tent, while she is getting ready, if you look at the central pole you can see the cut where it is supposed to break when Frank hits it.
Factual error: When the bird Charles lands on the land mine, you can see thing bounce on one side of the explosion. If the bird had really landed on the mine, it would have been obliterated.
Suggested correction: Anti personnel mines are specifically designed to badly wound someone rather than kill them outright, as it takes more people to deal with a wounded casualty rather than if they were dead. Movies exaggerate the blast effect as anti-personnel mines don't actually blow anyone to pieces, even a large bird.
True, but in this instance, it was a small bird. The mine in question can severely maim or destroy limbs, therefore the bird shouldn't have been seen.
Factual error: When the South Korean Colonel and General are in the mess tent, their rank insignia are wrong. The insignia they are wearing are for the U.S. Army.
Suggested correction: They could have been Korean Augmentation To the United States Army (KATUSA) officers, who were Koreans drafted or volunteered into the US military to act as a liaison between Koreans and the US military. As such they wore US uniforms and rank.
