I am unsure if Col. Potter ever mentioned his character's birthday, but he mentioned in "Settling Debts" (12/6/1983) that his birthday "was last month", so that's where I get that from.
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MCINTYRE HOME, BOSTON, MASS: MARCH 11, 1985
It was a drizzly evening in Boston, raining yet again. John McIntyre parked in the driveway and squashed thorough the mush to his front door, fumbling with the keys and groceries.
He muttered something as he trod inside. Louise was making dinner; Becky had come east from LA with Jay and her kids for a vacation.
It was good to have some company in the house. Jim had been transferred to Georgia, Cathy was in Canada as an IBM lawyer and the house was all too often empty.
Trapper placed the groceries on the kitchen floor and hugged his wife, who was busy making dinner.
"Did you have a good day?" she asked
"No, not really" John sighed "it's no fun not working anymore. I sit round the house and do nothing; I go out and play golf or watch some TV, its boring"
Louise sighed, "Well…..you need to find yourself a hobby, woodcraft or something. Go to the library and have a look."
He sighed, why? He couldn't be bothered; there was nothing exciting to look forward to in the library.
John got a beer and proceeded to his big easy chair in the den. Becky was reading "People" while John, 18 and Kate, 15 watched TV.
"You know Dad" said Becky, holding up the back page of People "why you try this?"
There, on the back page, was a big advertisement with "LEARN TO FLY" written on it. John smiled "no thanks honey. I've already had one very good friend die in a plane crash and I don't fancy following that same route"
Trapper sighed and thought of Henry. He wondered what the 4077th was like without him, what kind of CO was Col. Potter? Although nearly 35 years had past since he went to Korea, the war had left an impression on the 60-year-ex army captain and surgeon.
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PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, MAINE: JULY 19, 1985
It was a warm day in the Cove, there was a light breeze and the sweet sea smell filled the air.
Hawkeye and Margaret sat on the porch.
"You know" he said "it's been almost 35 years since we went to Korea"
Margaret looked at him and thought for a minute, "Yeah it is. Wow, in that's a long time, you know…..we've seen some truly amazing things haven't we?"
Looking out to sea, Hawkeye nodded "yes, we have. It was absolutely terrible what with the amount of wounded we'd get and the crummy conditions we had to live in"
Margaret nodded 'yeah, it was hell. But there were a few things that made it better. We'd get R & R sometimes, then there was always the officers club or …..you" she smiled.
"Did I tell you that I drove past Tommy Gilles old house the other day, it looks exactly the way it did when I left. I'll never forget being so happy to see him and then he died, right there in front of me on the operating table"
A tiny tear fell from Hawk's eye; Margaret pulled him towards her and gave him a hug.
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HOTEL FT. WORTH, FT. WORTH, TEX: SEPTEMBER 5, 1987.
"Thirty five years" said Hawkeye as he and Margaret sat in the hotel restaurant. They had been together for 25 long years, thorough war and peace, good times and some very bad ones.
The times they had-a changed and things were different than when they first met in 1950. Despite all this time, the war had still embedded its deep fibers in them; Hawkeye was still a bit anxious of small children and didn't like to take the bus.
Margaret was glad to be out of the Army, she never did the big city hospital post she told everyone about in the mess tent. Although she was the chief nurse of Crabapple Cove's most liked doctor's office, which let her get to know the patients better.
She like small town life but often thought of her other family from the 4077th, remembering all those good times she had with Col. Potter, Hawkeye and BJ.
Also with her for life, the terrible memories of the dying arriving on the meat wagon, it came back to haunt her every now and again.
As Hawk and Margaret enjoyed dinner, an older man in his mid-fifties walked away from the bar. His hair was graying, Margaret looked at him, she was sure she knew that face from somewhere.
The man looked back, it clicked after a second or two. "Scully?" she asked
He smiled; a very much older version of the ever pro and demoted Jack Scully both had known in Korea came towards their table.
"Well, look what the cat dragged in" said Hawkeye, who got up to shake hands.
"Hawkeye! What a surprise to see you here with, of all people, Margaret Houlihan"
They both smiled "so" asked Margaret, "what brings you here?"
Scully smiled, "well, I'm in town to see my stepchildren. I got married twice after Korea and took a job in New York. Are the two of you friends?"
"uh….no, not per se' said Margaret, "Hawkeye and I are celebrating thirty five years of marriage"
Jack's eyes almost fell out of his head, he was taken aback "wow, you two, married!"
Hawkeye laughed, "heh, yeah, we have two kids and four grandkids"
"hey, that's pretty good" said Scully, "well Hawkeye, Margaret it was nice to see you and learn how things have gotten on, if you're ever in New York, look me up"
Margaret rolled her eyes "Jack, I don't think so. Don't fool yourself, we had a very minute something and that was almost thirty years ago, I think it's good that you have a life and wish you the very best, other than that, we have nothing in common"
Hawkeye tried to hide behind the menu, not one to get verbally emotive.
"see ya Jack" said Hawkeye.
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WINCHESTER RETREAT, CAPE COD, MASS.JANUARY 1, 1988.
The sun shone on the clear, blue ocean. It was a beautiful day on Cape Cod as four generations of Winchesters sat on the deck.
Charles had left the Senate and was now chief medical advisor to the American College of Surgeons. Charles Emmerson Winchester IV was a successful Deputy District Attorney.
Despite being nearly 90 and retired for many-a year, Charles' father was still a powerful influence upon Beacon Hill.
"You know" said Charles, gazing out into the ocean "the sea looks exactly as it did when I flew into San Francisco harbor in '53"
The war still clung to Charles' mind; every now and then he would remember the site of the Chinese musician lying in the triage area.
He'd think about the blood and death and wake up in a cold sweat still haunted by the memories created so long ago.
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3RD MARINE REGIMENT, NORTHERN IRAQ: MAY 1991
It was hot, smelly and dusty. A cavalcade of trucks, tanks and jeeps blasted along a dusty Iraqi road, knowing at any second they could be ambushed.
"Dear mom and dad. It's awful here, the temperature is above 100 degrees during the day and falls below freezing at night; dust and awful smells are everywhere. I'm with a field hospital attached to the infantry; we don't get many casualties luckily.
I remember Dad telling me stories of Korea and how they would get shelled, flooded with wounded and have no supplies all at once. It must have been horrible.
Sleep is a luxury, we live on "C" rations most days and are never in one spot for long, luckily I have a very fine number of people under my command and know I'll be home soon
Love always, Cap'n Jim"
Jim McIntyre sat in the back of a truck, sandwiched between ten other guys and lots of supplies, being an officer gave him no particular privileges on this trip.
The caravan blasted on into the vast expanse of Iraqi desert.
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1500 DEFENSE PENTAGON, WASHINGTON DC: MARCH 13, 1993
The Secretary of the Navy sat behind his large oak desk, medals, ribbons and other accolades lined the walls.
Photos of Korea, Vietnam and the Gulf War ships and men posing on the flight deck meant to Jim McIntyre that this man was nothing short of a God.
He leaned forward and fixated his gaze on the 28 year old Marine Corps Colonel that sat before him.
"Now" he said, flashing at a thick dossier on his desk, "Colonel McEnroe"
Jim cut him off, "It's McIntyre, Mr. Secretary"
What was this guy wondering? Was he here to crucify me or promote me to General, maybe I being forced into early retirement…… a million thoughts flashed thorough Jim's mind, a hot feeling raced thorough him.
He looked at the Secretary, who had fixated his gaze on McIntyre; Jim assumed he was pissed at being corrected by some puss bucket Colonel.
"Right, McIntyre, I have some business to discuss" he snapped his fingers at the aide, a Marine Corps Captain, standing beside the door, "why don't you go get a coffee" he suggested, sounding more like an order.
The aide spoke up, "thank you Mr. Secretary, but I'm fine" this didn't do good things for him.
Looking at Jim, the Secretary ordered him to dispose of the lower ranking officer.
"Captain, you will stand down so we can talk about things behind your back, is that clear or should I call the boys in Leavenworth"
With the Captain gone faster than superman, the Secretary looked at Jim.
"How long have you been in the Marines son?" he asked, fixating his gaze beyond Jim and at the door.
Jim's heart was racing beyond expectation, was he about to be fired, didn't they like him? Or was he being upped into some policy-pushing staff position, after all these years, they couldn't let him go!
"Almost 20 years" Jim said, his voice shaky……was this it, was he being shoved onto some pension and shipped off into the woods, or as the guys called it the "shut up if you know what's good for you" allowance?
The Secretary eased back in his big comfy chair and looked at Jim, nervous as hell.
"Son, the Marines have given you medical school, a place to sleep and meals three times a day for almost twenty years, what would you say if I told you that you'd outlived your service contract?"
No, no, he can't be saying this. Jim's heart sank and hit the floor; he was fucked, thoroughly and totally shanghaied. Why, why him?
He tried to splutter something in his defense, something to save his ass from being turfed out cold.
"Well, you've got a family don't you?" asked the secretary
'Yes, I've got a wife and two kids" Jim said, a million thoughts flashing through his mind, wondering what he was going to do, how he'd do things after nearly his entire adult life in the Corps.
"Good, and I'll bet you that they don't like you being deployed, going over to some fucked up country now do they?"
The mood of this guy was changing; Jim was nervous and ready to leave.
"No, no they don't"
"Fair enough, what would you say to being appointed to Walter Reed and upped to a Major General? After all, with your impressive service record, what, two silver stars, a purple heart, a combat medical badge, three citations for bravery, very impressive son, son?"
Jim just sat there, frozen and unable to utter a sound. This had come too fast and smashed into him like a ton of bricks. It took a few seconds for him to process it all.
"Yes, yes, I'll accept." he spluttered out, was Five O'clock Charlie back?
The Secretary's face lit up immensely, he seemed happy.
"Great, the last guy we had in the position was a drunk and a pill popper; I'll call up and have his ass sacked. Come see me on Thursday at 11. You like Thai food...….good"
With that Jim left the Secretary's office, overjoyed at the thought of telling Trapper and his family that he didn't have to go overseas anymore and that he would be in a position of extreme responsibility and power.
This was one day where nothing could go wrong!
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O'REILLY FARM, OTTUMWA, IOWA: APRIL 12, 1994
A short, plump man with glasses and grey hair sat on the porch and drunk his morning coffee while reading the paper.
Radar had aged somewhat in the 40 years since he went to Korea, his face was beginning to sag and his hair was white.
A year shy of sixty, he was still practicing as a vet in Ottumwa, much loved by everyone, including his wife Patti, still looking (in his eyes) as pretty as she was when they first met at Kimpo.
Radar still thought about Henry and his bumbling was of running things at the 4077th, the jokes and good times they shared and his fatherly warmness. Radar missed Henry and the 4077th gang.
Only another few months till the 40th reunion he thought. Patti came outside to catch some morning sunshine before heading to work.
"Morning" he said, giving her a kiss "you know, you still look as beautiful as when I first met you!"
Patti giggled "you tell me that every morning"
A few minutes later, Radar climbed into his truck and headed the few minutes into Ottumwa.
As he pulled out the driveway, he waved goodbye to his wife.
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HUNNICUTT HOME, MILL VALLEY, CA: APRIL 12, 1994
BJ relaxed on the deck while Peg, Erin and Lisa were inside making lunch and mussing over girlish issues he was never one for. The phone rang, BJ was about to get up when Erin answered.
"Yeah, sure" she said, passing it out the window to her dad.
"Hello, oh hi Hawkeye" he said, "yeah, things are good. I heard from Patti and Radar the other day, how are things in Crabapple Cove?"
Hawkeye assured BJ that things were good and that he'd gotten a letter from Charles inviting him to dinner on New Years.
"Only two months till we reunite, boy, what's it been now, 40 years?" said BJ, doing quick mental math.
"No, uh, 41" Hawkeye told him "It's been a long time I agree"
For the next little while, BJ and Hawkeye talked about the upcoming reunion, family, the latest news and general things.
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STAN'S GROCERY AND LOTTERY, OTTUMWA, IOWA: APRIL 12, 1994
Patti walked out of the grocery store and as she loaded the bags into her car something caught her eye. Across the road, stood the fire station, something was up, two fire trucks and an ambulance pulled to the curb.
The driver checked for traffic both ways and then pulled out onto the road; he flipped his lights and siren before accelerating down the street.
Patti watched as they sped off, after a few seconds she went back to loading her groceries into the trunk, hoping that nothing serious had happened.
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O'REILLY FARM, OTTUMWA, IOWA: APRIL 25, 1994.
A long procession of cars proceeded down the now sealed road that led to the O'Reilly farm. It hadn't taken long for the word to spread round the country, the 4077th had, for the third time in its long and colorful history, been dealt a swift, hard blow.
It seemed that just minutes after leaving his office for some lunch, Radar's pickup was collected by an eighteen wheel Mack truck at a blind intersection.
From the location of the callbox where a passing driver called the fire department, it was calculated the Radar was just 2/10ths of a mile from his house.
The front yard was full of people, the entire 4077th had turned up, the local press where having a field day, and half of Ottumwa was there. The Army, thorough the Korean War Veterans Memorial Fund, had paid for the service and provided the usual military honors.
BJ, Hawkeye, Margaret, Charles, Klinger and Trapper carried the casket, Radar's two daughters brought up the rear and the Guard of Honor led the group.
"Today, we are once again facing the departure of a much loved and admired member of the 4077th" began Father Mulchay "I remember when Radar, as we called him, tried to put thorough a call, it was hand-to-hand combat. He was such a nice, humorous person. As time went on; he grew up a lot and I still remember the day he went home. The place just wasn't the same without him. Now we are faced with having to say goodbye for good, it is with great sadness and a heavy heart that we must bid him adieu. Goodbye Radar"
Everyone wept as the Father stepped down. He took his seat and watched as everyone cried. Hawkeye sat there, not really crying, not saying much. Margaret looked at him, worried.
"Hawkeye, are you ok?" she asked, looking into the empty gaze in his eyes.
"Ben" she gently shook his shoulder, "what's the matter?"
He jumped a bit, startled out of his deep thoughts.
"Oh, nothing" he said,
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PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, MAINE: CHRISTMAS, 1994
"Hawkeye, tell me what's wrong" Sidney sat with Hawkeye on the couch, "I remember this very thing happening all them years ago in Korea, what is it?"
Hawkeye sighed "well if you must know my problems are that one of my best friends is dead, I'm 70 years old and have been forced to give up my medical license. I sit here most days, with just Margaret for company. It's get lonely and boring sometimes"
Listening intently Sidney looked at his friend, obviously troubled by what the past year had bought him.
"Well" he said "Life brings us good times and bad. We must understand why something has happened and deal with it. You're a doctor, and I know it's hard, but I assume you can understand why Radar died, everyone had to Hawkeye. I know this seems rather depressing but it's the truth"
The graying physiatrist looked at his friend and waited for an answer, "You should quit dwelling on the fact that he is gone and remember for what he was. I can't fully understand it myself, but I know this will pass. I've had friends of mine die over the years and I've gotten over it. I'm here if you need me"
With that, he got up and went into the kitchen. Margaret looked anxiously at him, waiting for some kind of confirmation that he was on the road to getting over this.
"Well, how is he?" asked Margaret, a worried tone in her voice
Sidney sighed and sat down at the table, "well, it's not going to be easy, but it should get better, I told him to try and stop dwelling on why Radar had died to remember him for his life. I'm fairly confident he can manage that"
Once again, Hawkeye had to deal with the fact that someone he cared about and liked had departed this earth.
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ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, WASHINGTON, DC: NOVEMBER, 1998
The group that was the 4077th (now minus four members) gathered around the burial site of Col. Potter, to celebrate what would have been his 100th birthday.
All were now old, grey and retired and in the 45 years since had left Korea, everyone had gotten lives and moved on from the war. There were however, exceptions such as Henry, Millie Carpenter, Col. Potter and Radar. They never got the chance to completely move on from the war or even see the end of it.
"He was such a nice, dear and sweet man" said Margaret "so, it's been a century since he came into the world"
Charles stood silent, he sighed "You know something, as much as I hated him in the beginning for assigning me to the 4077th, I know now that he was such a great person. I told him I'd always be guided by his warmth and humor. Even all these years later, I still hold true to that"
A slight drizzle began to fall, the group stood silent for a few more seconds then shared goodbyes and went their separate ways.
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MCINTYRE HOME, BOSTON, MASS: AUGUST 3, 1999
It was late. John and Louise -- both now well into their 70s and showing it – lay in bed; Trapper wrote while Louise watched Nightline.
"John" said Louise, turning the TV volume down "what is it you keep writing so furiously in that think pad of yours?"
Trapper sighed, took of his glasses and put his pen down, "it's my memoirs"
Trying not to laugh, Louise held it in "memoirs about what exactly?"
Continuing to scratch away at the pad with his pen Trap answered "it's about Korea. I want to put all my memories down and let others see that war isn't how we see it in the movies. I've put everything in here. Henry, Frank, HotLips, the day Tommy Gillis died. It's something I need to do"
Louise looked at Trapper and shrugged it off, she felt that John had put all that stuff long behind him, but she'd support her husband if necessary.
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PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, MAINE: JANUARY 9, 2000
Less than ten days into the new millennium, when the world and the 4077th were still celebrating and aghast at the wonders to come, something happened.
The year was still young when it happened. Dr. Daniel James Pierce was the last one left, the last one to grace the earth. His beloved wife Joan had died in the thirties, he'd been on his own for nearly seventy years. Colonel Alvin and Jane Houlihan had died in the late eighties, and he was the last one.
In the early morning hours of January 9, he died quietly of natural causes, in his home that he'd lived in for almost a hundred years. He'd seen his only child grow up and leave for Korea young and immature only to return a changed person with the love of his life, his Margaret. He had seen Hawkeye take Margaret into his backyard and promise to love her for all eternity, as he had both his grandchildren.
Every year, the extended family from the 4077th would arrive for a wonderful meal and lots of talking and laughter. The home he would take his grandchildren into the backyard and read stories or play with them, the home where he had formed so many memories and had such a long and happy life would become his final resting place.
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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, WASHINGTON DC: JULY 2, 2001
Dressed in his blue and white dress uniform, four General stars and a heavy medal board decorating it, USMC Gen. James Henry McIntyre walked down a long, corridor.
He knew the weight of the action he was about to take, he'd mulled over it for a few months and decided to finally do it
Jim greeted the Master Sgt of an MP at the door to the Secretary's outer office; he stood at rigid attention in a perfect manner. Jim smiled and told him he was doing a great job and to stand down.
"How long have you been in Marines son?" he asked, with a friendly smile and tone of a drinking buddy instead of the usual hard-core tightly wound military man.
The sergeant relaxed and replied eight months.
The General laughed and said "well sergeant, I recall when I had been in the Marines' that was some 27 years ago. Now, you are very fortunate to probably hear the last words I'll ever give a soldier, if you make yourself proud of your action, which is the most important thing. It doesn't matter what some General like myself thinks, if you make yourself proud to wear the uniform and know you didn't kill anyone then you have done well"
With that, General Jim continued into the Secretary's office where he'd sat some ten years earlier and accepted this job. Now there was a new secretary and a new reason for being here.
"Good morning General" said the new Secretary of the Navy, a broad tall African American, his Naval hat sat on his desk. A photo of a Vietnam unit was on the wall, this man meant business.
"Good morning Mr. Secretary" said Jim as he sat down and crossed his legs, in anticipation of uttering what he'd worked on all week. A hot flash ran thorough his body.
"Mr. Secretary, there is a very specific reason that I am here. I enlisted at the age of 17 in 1974, when we were still at war with the Vietnamese. I've been on five tours of duty, gone to medical school on the Corps' dime and have been promoted 24 times. I feel I've come as far as I can go here, I know I have, you can't promote me again, and I'm almost 50 years old. I want out"
This surprised the Secretary of the Navy; he sat up and took note of what Jim had just said.
"OK, if you really want out, I can work on that today. I think your right, I've looked at your record many times, you've got a whole drawer full of medals, citations and those medal bars on your chest must weight more than an artillery gun"
They made small talk for a few more minutes and after that Jim walked out, having turned in his Marine Corps ID and would now be a free man, free to go out and do whatever fancy took him.
All of the McIntyre children had done well. Becky was a top lawyer for the Government, Cathy worked for the FBI and Jim had just spent that last twenty odd years as a Marine.
They'd make John proud.
DISCLAIMER: I do not claim to agree with the spin-off events of September 11 but the next section is dedicated to everyone that gave their life on September 11, 2001 – especially members of the Police and FDNY
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HUNNICUTT HOME, MILL VALLEY, CA.SEPTEMBER 11, 2001
BJ and Peg were eating breakfast, they turned on the TV. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary in the few seconds before the world came to its knees, as it had done in Dallas all those years earlier.
Then, the first plane struck. Peg screamed as BJ watched intensely, the event registered but nothing was being processed.
"Oh God! What's happening?" asked Peg, not really expecting an answer, she watched as a plume of smoke and fire rose from the tower. It looked like something out of a movie.
For the next several minutes, they watched in silence. Just as they had listened to Walter Cronkite in 1963 report the news that Kennedy had been shot, they listened as they heard the news that would define the beginning of the 21st century.
The thought of a war flashed into BJ's mind, what if his grandkid's were sent to fight?
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PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, MAINE: SEPTEMBER 11, 2001
Like most around the country that morning, Hawkeye and Margaret sat glued to the TV set. They saw the carnage and horror unfold in front of their eyes, just as it had done at Pearl Harbor and in Dallas.
Margaret was crying, "Oh, why, why, why it's awful" she sobbed, Hawkeye hugged her tightly and stared blankly at the TV.
"Sssshhh, it's OK, it's OK, everything will work out" Hawkeye tried to console his wife; he himself was still trying to grasp the situation.
On that beautiful September morning, the world changed for good and the innocence of the world went out the window. As with events in the past, the members of the 4077th were there to see it.
Like all those that were there to see it, whether it be Pearl Harbor, Dallas or September 11, the world lost it's sense of innocence and protectiveness, for it was (and will continue to be) the defining moment of this generation.
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DETROIT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, DETROIT, MICH.MARCH 1, 2002
Paramedics pushed a gurney into emergency. On the gurney was 22 year old Lucy Pierce, her husband Mike followed close behind. As the elevator reached the maternity floor, an American Airlines jet touched down at the airport, Hawkeye and Margaret were anxious to meet Ben and Rachel at the hospital.
"We're about to become great-grandparents" said Margaret, a twitch of excitement and fear in her voice.
Ben made a sharp left into the main hospital entrance and laughed "you two are already great grandparents" he said.
Margaret laughed "that too".
Up on the fifth floor after several hours, Margaret, Hawkeye and co. welcomed ten pound nine oz. Lisa Margaret Pierce and eight pound four oz. Benjamin Franklin Pierce, III
Everyone was overjoyed, Ben and Rachel were grandparents while Hawkeye and Margaret welcomed in another branch on the Pierce Family Tree.
It was a great day for once again, the family tree of MASH was extended and although the Korean War had ended a long, long time ago, the music was still playing.
The book of memories for a group the came together to sit three miles from the front line and slap shot up kids back together was till being written. The group of old war buddies from years ago was still making history in their own special way.
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O'REILLY FARM, OTTUMWA, IOWA: JULY 27, 2003
A long, long time ago – fifty years to be exact – the conflict that was the Korean Police Action was put to rest at Panmujon. The remaining members of a collection of draftees, enlistees and ROTC officers that came together to become the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital 4077, a unit that had bugged out long, long ago, came together to celebrate a half-century of peace and civilian life.
They also came together to celebrate the lives of those members no longer with them and remember the past fifty years, the good, the bad and the neutral
Hawkeye and Margaret along with everyone laughed at the jokes they'd played on everyone at the 4077, the day they met Charles and Col. Potter. They reminisced about the day Frank left, when the war ended and how they all told everyone else what they were going to get up to in the mess tent
Everyone told of how what they had said so many years ago came true in some ways and was off track in others.
BJ and Peg had stayed married for 52 years, had three children and four grandchildren. They still lived in the same house in Mill Valley as they had done when BJ was drafted.
Hawkeye and Margaret had been married for 49 years. It was still boggling to everyone that they of all people ended up together. Trapper admitted he'd never seen a happier couple. Now great grandparents, they were set to spend the rest of their days at home in Crabapple Cove, happy.
Trapper and Louise had stayed together for more than fifty years, thorough three children and many trying times. They had had three wonderful children, all highly educated and top level professionals, and Trap had to admit that he was proud of Jim, even if he was a bit nuts joining the Marines.
Patti sat at the Pierce table, all alone. She was still grieving for Radar, now departed almost ten years; it was hard for her to attend reunions without him. Life does things in strange ways and there was no clear reason why he was taken but he'd had two wonderful daughters and was a granddad—in—lieu to Walter Eugene O'Reilly II.
Since 1971, neither Potter had attended. There was a void left by the absence of a dear sweet old country doctor and his wife. The much loved Colonel from Hannibal had passed forty years ago, never, never to be forgotten by those that served alongside him in Korea.
The Klinger's in attendance to celebrate not only 50 years of peace but also 50 years of marriage. Max and Soon-Lee were grandparents and happy about it, they had both retired years ago, happy. Their chain of restaurants was still in family hands and it made them a nice nest egg.
Everyone agreed that it was amazing how people's lives had turned out. Trapper had stopped womanizing, Hawkeye married Margaret and Klinger came back from Korea.
There was nowhere in the world were one could find such a close knit yet spread apart group like this, a group that was made up of people that didn't want to be there and those that did. A group that had been thorough so much together, after such a long period of time, they still stayed in contact.
This was a one—of—a—kind bunch, old war buddies.
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PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, MAINE: SEPTEMBER 5, 2003.
A half—century had passed since Margaret and Hawkeye had gotten married. In the 50 years that they had been together for better or worse, they had seen some amazing things. Man walked on the moon, a president had been assassinated and many, many things had changed for the better.
Close friends had passed on, parents had left and bad things had happened. However thorough all this, there was one things that hadn't died, the devotion for each other both Hawk and Margaret shared.
"It's amazing; I'd never have guessed that these two would be together at all, let alone after all this time!"
"When Hawk called me fifty years ago, I knew. I just had a Radar moment and knew that it was Hot Lips. He told me the story of 'comrades in arms' as he called it. I'm surprised that your together. I hope you have the happiest of futures and good luck"
"Mom and Dad, you two seem so, so very happy together. You have the most undying of resolves to stay together. I've seen you two fights, but never make much out of it. Fifty years is a very, very long time. I hope I last that long, I have to congratulate you on it, I hope that you have a happy future!"
"Grandpa Hawkeye and Grandma Margaret, you two are totally fantastic. I've never seen anyone with the love for each other as you two have, you are amazing. I hope you have a very happy future and that may you stay forever young!"
After the entire 4077th had congratulated Hawkeye and Margaret on a half century of togetherness they enjoyed a veritable feast and reflected on all they had seen.
They danced to "Love Me Tender" by Elvis and after a long evening, Hawkeye and Margaret retired for the night.
One of the most amazing stories to come out of the 4077th had now been around for fifty years. To all those that were there, it was a wonderful feeling, knowing that something good emerged from the ashes of war.
The entire staff of the 4077th gave their congrats, for things were still going strong for all those people that were there.
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PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, MAINE: OCTOBER 10, 2003
It was a bright, sunny morning in Crabapple Cove, sun poured into the darkened bedroom of Hawkeye and Margaret.
Margaret stirred and looked at the clock: 9.19am. She rolled over to see Hawkeye sleeping, she was happy her marriage had lasted fifty years and thought of all the ugly times in Korea that were now long, long distance memories.
Opening the curtains, she looked over at Hawkeye who was sleeping peacefully.
There was no response when she called out his name. It took less than one second for her to come to the realization that something was wrong, she ran over to him, the thought she feared correct snapping into her mind.
"HAWKEYE!" she screamed, looking at him, resting peacefully in bed.
She looked at him, he'd left as he'd come into the world, a pacifist.
Once asked what he'd liked inscribed on his headstone, Hawkeye Pierce replied "HAWKEYE" – pure and simple, like the man.
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