FORTY FOUR


Jan. 3rd, 1953: 0600 hours

Corporal Klinger was smiling as he hurried towards the surgeons' tent. He knew some officers who were going to be very glad to hear his news. The rest of the medical outfit personnel would be happy, too.

Inside the Swamp, he stood by the heater and rubbed his arms to warm them, "Rise and shine, you sleepy surgeons," he called to the men while he switched on the light in the tent.

"Hey, Beej," Hawkeye said sleepily. "I thought you left a wake-up call for half past noon."

"I did," B J mumbled. "Maybe I should have left a bigger tip at the desk." He turned away from the light and placed his pillow over his head, "Oh, Porter; just set my luggage down by the door. And then go away."

"Yes," Charles Winchester added from under the blankets of his own cot, "do go away, Klinger. Or I shall have you shot and stuffed."

"Talk about your trophies. Try hanging that nose on your wall," Captain Pierce remarked.

"You won't want to kill the messenger this time, Major," the corporal replied. "I bring good news to all you disheveled and disgruntled doctors."

Pierce yawned, "All right, Klinger. What is it? And this had better be good. You interrupted one of the finest lobster dinners Crabapple Cove has ever seen. And I was still on the appetizers---the Anderson twins."

"I just got off the phone to HQ. The nurses are being allowed to come back today!" The clerk reported.

"What! When?" All three men threw back their blankets and sat up in their beds.

"They're on their way, right now. They should be here in an hour or two."

"Congratulations, Corporal. You have won yourself a reprieve. That is good news!" The major announced. He pulled on his robe and removed his shaving kit and a towel from the shelf.

"Save some hot water for me, Charles." Hawkeye called to him, "I have nearly a dozen delectable, delicious, desirable damsels to dazzle."

"Degenerate," Winchester muttered as he walked out the door.


At their new location, the four surgeons, and the rest of the 4077th staff, had taken care of all the wounded soldiers, and civilians, who had been brought to them---without the benefit of assistance from the nurses. The male members of the outfit had been quick to realize just how much they had depended on their female counterparts.

Just yesterday, the men had been ordered back to their original location. They had stared in dismay at the damage that had been done to the place they reluctantly called home. The bullet holes in the tents that had been left behind and the blackened holes in the compound left by grenades were solemn reminders of the fierceness of the fighting that had occurred here.

Colonel Potter hadn't given them much time to think about their close call. He had everyone setting up the hospital facilities, patching the punctures in the canvas walls, shoveling dirt in the potholes and removing the blood stains from the wooden sidewalks.

When everything had settled down, Potter had gone to the corral to look for his four-legged mare. He had left the gate open, hoping she would be able to flee to safety. He had called her name and had been relieved to her answering whinny.


When the Army vehicle pulled into the hospital compound, it was met by a relieved, cheering group of men. After seven long days, they were overjoyed to see the familiar feminine faces. The camp mascot was dancing around eagerly, as well. As each nurse stepped down from the bus, she was given a welcoming hug and a kiss and passed along to the next man in line.

Hawkeye Pierce grabbed Sarabeth MacAllister and swung her completely around. She was laughing as she affectionately called him an idiot and insisted he set her down. With another kiss to her forehead, he handed her over to B J Hunnicutt who gave her a hug and released her with a grin.

Before anyone else had the opportunity to approach the red-haired woman, Charles Winchester reached for her, "Welcome back, my dear," he stated before he kissed her, briefly, on the cheek.

Lifting an eyebrow, surprised at his actions, she was prevented from saying anything else as Father Mulcahy embraced her in a tight hug, "Thank God, you are safe!" He exclaimed. He turned her loose and was already reaching for the next nurse in line to give her the same message.


"...That takes care of the medications for this hour," Lieutenant MacAllister reported. "Now, all we have to do is the chart updates...and then we need to try and turn this building back into a hospital," She frowned as she glanced around her, "I know they haven't had much time to unpack since they returned yesterday. But, still…." She shook her head in disbelief, "This place looks like a moving company's 'going-out-of-business' sale."

"This is pretty bad," Lieutenant Kellye admitted. The two nurses were finishing their post-op rounds. They were avoiding boxes and crates as they walked down the aisle.

"But, I'd rather be in here," the dark-haired woman continued, "Even with having patients to take care of---as well as clean up---than to be in there trying to get the OR back in order! And the way they left my pre-op area...! I'm surprised the North Koreans and the Chinese didn't hear the fit Major Houlihan threw!"

"With good cause," Sarabeth added. "It looked like a pig sty in there."

"I'm just glad I pulled post-op duty," Kellye noted.

"Me, too," the Texan grinned.


"Look at this!" Lieutenant Kellye was indignant, "Here's a can opener and a spatula packed in with the Babcock clamps and Deaver retractors! Men have no common sense!" With another disgusted shake of their heads over the sloppy habits of the men, the nurses continued their unpacking.


"Sarabeth," Kellye hesitantly asked, "you still haven't heard anything from Crockett? Or Fannin?"

"No. Sometimes, when Crockett's on an assignment, he can call or write. Sometimes he can't. This is one of the times he can't," MacAllister explained.

"So, am I worrying for nothing?"

"I wish I knew, Kellye," Sarabeth sighed. "I know they're both all right---for now. But they are involved in an extremely dangerous operation. All we can do...is wait until they make contact."

"Just waiting around for news is hard."

"It is indeed," the other woman agreed.


After having listened to Major Houlihan's outraged protests, and after having appeased the head nurse as much as he was able, Colonel Potter returned to the letter he was writing:

I'm sorry for the interruption, Mildred dear. I just finished speaking to Margaret Houlihan. Jumping chili peppers, she was hot!

I have to admit, the men did leave everything in a mess. But, in our defense, we were so busy repairing the buildings and filling in the craters and then, later, treating the wounded, that we didn't keep everything in order the way it should have been done.

We never realized how much of the clean-up the women do. And, we doctors never considered how much we take the nurses for granted---until we had to use assistant cooks and jeep mechanics as instrument handlers.

But, we are all accounted for and still safe. That is the best news of all.

This war drags on and on. I will be so glad when I can come home to you. I'm looking forward to the only injuries that I have to treat are skinned knees and bruised elbows.

I miss you. And, I love you, dear girl. Always.

Sherm