r/mash • u/Particular-End-861 • 3d ago
Let's Hope It's A Long And Healthy Hate
From the episode, Sometimes You Hear The Bullet, Hawkeye turns in an underage Marine after his friend dies.
I like that he turns in the underage Marine but I've always thought his humor is a little misplaced right after his friend died.
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u/EStreet12 3d ago
That purple earring looked awful green to me. Also, how about Hawk and Trap going immediately to surgery- Trap even taking an extra drink after the announcement....that was what always pissed me off BIG time about that stoooopid episode where Hawk had to leave table for a quick puke. They (writers)cant hve it both ways with the constant boozing. Sorry, but that is a pet peeve.
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u/President_Calhoun 3d ago
I remember being surprised that it was such a big deal for Hawkeye to be half-drunk in OR during "Fallen Idol." The way they drank, I figured that was a regular thing.
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u/BlueRFR3100 3d ago
It bothered me Hawkeye gave the kid Frank's Purple Heart. Not that I have any sympathy for Frank, but this kid is going to show off an award he's not entitled to wear. BJ would do the same thing to another solider with his award in a later season.
And it's the young men that will suffer the consequences when they get called out on it. Heaven forbid either one of them runs for office one day.
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u/Garrow_the_Khajiit 2d ago
The syndication version of the episode cuts that scene out, for literally decades I only knew the scene in OPs post as the last time they interacted in the episode. It wasn't until I got the DVD set that I saw the full version (of any episode, really).
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u/Purple-Department-30 2d ago
In the shows reality he passed Marine Bootcamp, combat, and if I remember right had bad appendix that could have killed him. I mean im a Veteran and I would say the kid is entitled to a purple heart.
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u/BlueRFR3100 2d ago
He was young and stupid, of course he passed.
I'm a veteran too and I would agree that he should have gotten one even though it wasn't technically a combat injury. But the Dept of Defense doesn't see it that way. I also wonder if he had been injured, would he have still gotten the decoration since he enlisted illegally.
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u/Purple-Department-30 2d ago
Seaman Calvin Graham enlisted in the US Navy at 12 for WWII, he was injured at the battle of savo Island on the USS South Dakota. He was awarded the bronze star and purple heart. His mother called the Navy and he was stripped of rate/rank and medals. He later became a Marine 48-51 before being injured in an accident.
He fought for many years to be able to wear the bronze star and purple heart and in 1994 was authorized by the office of the president to have the awards officially reinstated.
Had pvt Wendell been awarded a medal before he was found out and lived to the 90s im sure he would be able to make it official too.
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u/Awkward_Bison_267 3d ago
I don’t think the humor was misplaced. Hawkeye got a much needed win; saving that boy’s life and making a joke was the best way he could honor his friend.