
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.

Hawkeye and Trapper battle the brass all the way to the top in their efforts to get an incubator for the unit.

The officers' weekly poker game at the 4077th is interrupted by three separate emergencies. Guest starring Noriyuki "Pat" Morita and John Ritter.

A sudden deluge of wounded at the 4077th is followed by a fire and a rainstorm.

A rumor that the 4077th is going to "bug out" becomes grossly exaggerated until it is believed the entire Chinese army is attacking the camp.