Plot: Penicillin is being stolen, and Col. Flagg turns up and lets the culprit go free, so that he can have the penicillin for bartering purposes. Hawkeye and Trapper quell him with an appendectomy.

Notice that no one, including Henry, Frank and the M.P, had any problem with Hawkeye and Trapper operating on Col. Flagg.

(What do you suppose Flagg's first name was?)

It's Sam. (Not very subtle name, is it?) The second G-2 man calls him that in "A Smattering of Intelligence."

Oh, yes, thanks. (But is it his REAL first name?)

In Flagg's first appearance ("A Smattering of Intelligence"), he went by the name Perkins. In "Officer of the Day", he calls Hawkeye "Perkins". In the ep, the thief who was caught was named Perkins. However, it was not his real name either. What was it about the name "Perkins" and why wasn't it ever anyone's real name? In this episode, "Perkins'" real name is Johnson.

Klinger goes to get Hawkeye & Trapper when Flagg breaks into the Supply Hut. Why doesn't Max get the MPs instead? Or even his gun?

Hilly Hicks is the actor who played Perkins/Johnson in this ep. The actor also appeared in the ep "Post Op". He was also an evac medic in that one. Hawkeye recognized him. Was Hicks supposed to be playing the same character?

And then they's Anthony Perkins, portrayer of the most famous identity crisis in cinema.

Good eye, Benn. I've never noticed that running gag, or motif, or whatever it was before.

Thanks, Goog. I caught it by accident while going over some eps I have on tape. Larry Gelbart and Laurence Marks co-wrote "A Smattering of Intelligence." "Officer of the Day" was written by Laurence Marks on his own. "White Gold" was co-written by Larry Gelbart and Simon Muntner. So it's a ragging gag/motif that wasn't the province of one author. Or so it seems.

Klinger goes to get Hawkeye & Trapper when Flagg breaks into the Supply Hut. Why doesn't Max get the MPs instead? Or even his gun?

From the way I understood the dialogue, they thought it was perkins trying to break in again, and max wanted to catch him himself with aid of hawk and trapp, because calling in the MPs would have caused trouble for "perkins".

Did Hawk and trapp really operate on Flagg? Or did they just knock him out and put some bruises on him?

"From the way I understood the dialogue, they thought it was perkins trying to break in again, and max wanted to catch him himself with aid of hawk and trapp, because calling in the MPs would have caused trouble for 'perkins'." - Constanze

Could be. I may have missed something. I'll have to go back and check.

"Did Hawk and trapp really operate on Flagg? Or did they just knock him out and put some bruises on him?" - Constanze

From all indications, they did operate on the Colonel. If Pierce and McIntyre did not operate on him, Flagg would at least wonder why he doesn't have an appendix scar.

I finally got to see the tag scene. Flagg is propped up in bed, looking disgruntled. Margaret sits beside him and asks if he wants anything--"anything at all." Frank calls her away from the bed, and makes a jealous comment about her hot breathing (or something like that.)
Hawkeye and Trapper approach. Flagg looks at them and says sarcastically, "Don't eat the bacon. What did you put in the coffee?" Their reply was something like "Beans from Columbia. Saltpeter from Jersey." Flagg asked where the penicillin was. They replied that most of it was hidden, the rest distributed in various rumps around the room. "Speaking of which...." They then produce a hypo and prepare to inject Flagg.

How the heck did Klinger damage Perkins' ribs so much by a quick twist to the ground? It would have made more sense to have some damage to his neck where the "fastest stole in the West" was wrapped around it.

Flagg lands his chopper unusually close to the camp. Heck, he's practically inside the camp. It's a good thing the wind those blades kick up didn't knock down any tents.

In the tent where Perkins/Johnson was being held prisoner, there's a phone. Is there really any reason for a phone to be in that tent? Other than for Flagg to crack his skull with it?

Abyssinia!

No.

I didn't think so.

Abyssinia!