Ep 19. The Long-John Flap

In "The Long-John Flap," the 19th episode of the first season of M*A*S*H, the medical staff at the 4077th is facing a harsh winter as a brutal cold front sweeps through the Korean Peninsula. Medical supplies and morale are low, and the staff is forced to improvise in order to stay warm and make do with what little resources they have.

When a box of long johns is delivered to the unit, everyone is overjoyed at the prospect of having some relief from the cold. However, when the long johns turn out to be too small for everyone except for the tiniest members of the unit, a dispute breaks out among the staff over who gets to wear them. As tensions rise, the doctors and nurses try to come up with creative solutions to stay warm, including wearing multiple layers of clothing and burning everything from broken chairs to old medical textbooks for warmth.

Meanwhile, Hawkeye (Alan Alda) befriends a Korean family who are struggling to survive the cold winter. He uses his medical supplies to help them and even invites them to the 4077th to warm up and get some food. However, not everyone is happy about having Korean civilians in the camp, and Hawkeye finds himself in conflict with some of his fellow soldiers.

As the situation grows more dire, the staff must work together to make it through the harsh winter and keep the camp running. With tensions high and supplies low, the doctors and nurses must rely on their ingenuity and sense of community to stay warm and save lives.

"The Long-John Flap" is a heartwarming and humorous episode that showcases the resourcefulness and resilience of the medical staff at the 4077th. It explores the challenges of life in a war zone, from the shortage of supplies to the conflicts that arise between people from different cultures and backgrounds. Despite the hardships, the doctors and nurses continue to show compassion and caring for one another, highlighting the importance of camaraderie and community in times of crisis.