Writer:	Burt Prelutsky
Director:	Burt Metcalfe
Star:	David Ogden Stiers (Major Charles Emerson Winchester III (Season 6-11)),  Mike Farrell (Captain BJ Hunnicut (Season 4-11)),  Loretta Swit (Major Margaret J. "Hot Lips" Houlihan),  Harry Morgan (Colonel Sherman T. Potter (Season 4-11)),  Alan Alda (Captain Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce),  Gary Burghoff (Corporal Walter Eugene "Radar" O'Reilly (Season 1-8)),  William Christopher (Father John Patrick Francis Mulcahy),  Jamie Farr (Corporal/Sergeant Maxwell Q. Klinger)
Recurring Role:	Judy Farrell (Nurse Able),  Enid Kent (Bigelow)
Guest Star:	Carmine Scelza (G.I.),  Rebecca Taylor (Nurse Campbell),  Joseph Hardin (Patient),  John Durren (Sergeant Rimmerman),  Larry Block (Eddie Hendrix),  Susan Blanchard (Nurse Cooper)

Radar asks Margaret if Donald Penobscott has any tattoos, and she gets mad and won't tell him. Her husband actually does have a tattoo. In "Margaret's Engagement", she told the other nurses that he had a Sherman tank tattooed on his left bicep. (edit)

[Radar's tattoo gets a forced inspection.]
Colonel Potter: Radar, let's see it.
Radar: Oh, no sir, sir!
Colonel Potter: [in reprimanding tone] Corporal, and for the time being you are a Corporal, let me remind you of one thing. [points his index finger upward] As your Commanding Officer, it is my duty to inspect any part of this camp!
Radar: You mean I'm gonna have to. . .
Colonel Potter: Drop 'em!!
Radar: Oh, BOY!! But this is under protest.
Colonel Potter: Understood. (edit) Nurse Cooper: I knew you were watching me when I turned around. Should I pack?
Margaret: [with resignation] No, Colonel Potter doesn't want you leaving. He seems to think there's hope for you.
Nurse Cooper: He must be just an old softie.
Margaret: He can afford to be. He doesn't work with you as closely as I do.
Nurse Cooper: Does this mean you're getting off my back?
Margaret: For now. Oh, but don't worry! One day he'll be operating and need suction and retraction, and there won't be anybody giving it to him, because you'll be God knows where crying your eyes out!
Nurse Cooper: [with determination] That won't happen, Major.
Margaret: Oh?
Nurse Cooper: I won't give you the satisfaction, Major. From now on, I will be just as tough and unfeeling as you are. (edit) Sergeant (showing Hawkeye and BJ his tattoo): The Marine emblem, Semper Fidelis.
BJ: Latin for "always faithful."
Hawkeye: Well, I'd want to meet the girl first. (edit) Radar: (about his tattoo) It'll come off when I take a bath.
Hawkeye: My God, it is permanent. (edit)

Charles gets mad at Hawkeye and B.J. when they make fun of MacArthur. It seems like the writers are still trying to keep the pro GI, patriotism that they lost when Burns left. This did not turn out to be an accurate character trait for Charles. He hated the war as much as Hawkeye and B.J. did. (edit) The Potters will be celebrating their 38th wedding anniversary very soon - but in episode #79, 4-7, Dear Mildred, they celebrate their 27th wedding anniversary. (edit) Radar wants to get a tattoo - but he already got one of an anchor in episode #55, 3-7, Check-Up
(he shows it to Henry). (edit)

Lydia The Tattoed Lady: In the opening scene, when the tattooed patient's (Joseph Hardin) body art is revealed, Hawkeye sings the following lines:


Lydia, Lydia, oh have you seen Lydia?

Lydia the Tattooed Lady?


These are the opening lines from Lydia the Tattooed Lady?, a song that was sung by Groucho Marx in the stage show and 1939 film At The Circus (aka A Day At The Circus.


Hardin would go on to appear in episode #4, 1-4, Love is a Three-Way Street, in the Mash semi-sequel spinoff Trapper John M.D.. (edit)