
Members of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital care for the injured during the Korean War and use humor to escape from the horror and depression of the situation. Among the 4077's people are Capts. Benjamin "Hawkeye" Pierce and "Trapper John" McIntire, Majs. Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan and Frank Burns, and Cpl. Walter "Radar" O'Reilly.
While under intense enemy shelling in a combat zone, Hawkeye decides it is time to make out his will.
The surgeons suffer a barrage of preferential treatment from the enlisted personnel when they are placed on the camp's promotion board.
A heavyweight boxing champion pays a goodwill visit to the 4077th.
Father Mulcahy takes being passed over for a promotion philosophically until he hears of a heroic helicopter pilot's advancement.