After my encounter the mysterious Colonel Flagg, I decided to check in on my brother Jason. My original intention was to seek his consul regarding the situation with Margaret. But the sibling I have that is closest to my age was fast asleep. Flanking him in chairs on each side were my two youngest siblings, also fast asleep.

Captain Pierce came by and checked Jason's chart.

Pierce addressed me, "He'll be fine, Mr. Walton. You can go back to your tent for a while. Besides, it looks like your brother and sister are keeping watch for you."

I wanted to stay with Jason, but Pierce was right. There wasn't much room for me to stay with my brother, and I didn't want to get in the way of the doctors and nurses. I decided to head on back to the VIP tent. I reviewed my notes and wrote in my journal about the events of the day. It is incredible how much can happen in one day. My mind was still racing. I decided to go out for a walk.

While a nightcap isn't my usual style, it would help me sleep. Plus I could hear music coming from the officer's club.

When I entered the small bar, I was immediately reminded of the Dew Drop Inn. Instead of Jason tickling the Ivories, though—it was the unit's chaplain of all people. And Toni wasn't singing, it was a Nurse whose heritage appeared to originate from the Pacific Islands.

I sat at the bar and ordered a beer, and enjoyed the music. Down the bar to me I noticed Lt. Healey, Jim Bob's division officer. He was talking to an attractive nurse.

Lt. Healey purred to the Nurse, "So Lieutenant, you want to go off somewhere? With your silver bar and my silver bar, together combined we can be a captain."

The nurse rolled her eyes, but before she could reply, the Islander nurse came to her rescue.

The Islander cajoled the nurse at the bar, "Come over here, Shari, Joanne and I want to do an Andrews Sisters number and we need a third!"

Shari, the nurse at the bar, called back (relieved), "I'm on my way, Kellye."

Lt. Healey looked over at me and gave a mock defeated look. I motioned him to come over.

Healey asked me, "So, Mr. Walton, enjoying our little war?"

I replied, "Call me John. War is something I think we can all do without."

Healey agreed, "I'm Roger. Amen to that. How's your brother Jason?"

I answered, "He's fine, thanks for asking. Mind if I ask you some article related questions."

Healy nodded, inviting, "Shoot."

I asked, "Did you always want to be a helicopter pilot? And why the Army?"

Roger answered, "Actually, I'm an engineer by trade. Studied at Iowa Tech, class of 1950. I went through school on an ROTC scholarship. I graduated at the tender age of 21, and the next thing I knew I was in command of a sapper squadron near Pusan."

I whistled, "Combat engineer, tough duty."

Roger continued, "It was during my first tour in country where I saw what a chopper could do. It could bring supplies and men to areas where no fixed wing plane could go. I honestly do believe they are the future of aviation. Well, being young and foolish I managed to get myself shot. Nothing serious, mind you, but enough to send me here, to the 4077th. While recovering, I found out the previous clerk, a corporal named O'rielly, was also from Iowa and around my age. I mentioned helicopters in our many conversations. While I was at the 121st Evac in Seoul, I got orders to flight school. I still wonder if 'Radar' Orielly had anything to do with that."

I laughed, "Never doubt the power of an Army company clerk."

Roger nodded in agreement and went on, "Well, after I got my wings, I actually did put in for a medevac assignment. By the time I made it back here, Radar had already shipped back to Iowa, but I am proud of the work we do. One of the main reasons the MASH has such a high survival rate is that we can get the patients to the surgeons in enough time to save them."

I agreed with Lt. Healey. It was something I heard from the doctors and nurses themselves, that the helicopter gives them that "golden hour" needed to save a patient's life. I had another beer with Roger and swapped war stories with him. The time with Lt. Healey relaxed me enough so I could make it back to the VIP tent and fall fast asleep after a day more troubling than most I faced during the last war.