# M\*A\*S\*H question **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 15, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/m-a-s-h-question/641100 "2012-11-15T16:35:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/m-a-s-h-question/641100/1 "2012-11-15T16:35:41Z")
How old are the characters supposed to be? I think Radar was mentioned to be 19 and Col. Potter had to be in his 50’s but how old is everyone else? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/m-a-s-h-question/641100/2 "2012-11-15T16:48:28Z")
Based on the books Hawkeye and Trapper had recently graduated medical school. It’s been a long time but I think they may have been interning at hospitals. At some point in the TV show Hot Lips mentions her age because she’s getting old. Klinger was supposed to be a draftee I think, so early 20s at the start of the show. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/m-a-s-h-question/641100/3 "2012-11-15T17:29:39Z")
For what it’s worth, the average age of a GI during WWII (and, I would assume, in Korea, less than a decade later) was 26; in _Up Front_, Bill Mauldin said that late 20s–early 30s was typical of the Infantry. It should be pointed out that under the draft, there was a lot of variation in age, and it was typical for able-bodied WWII vets to find themselves back in the service. This would explain why the nonmedical personnel in the 4077th ranged from kids like Radar to old hands like Rizzo. In the case of Medical Corps physicians, doctors with the rank of Captain would probably be in their late 20s–early 30s. Majors like Frank Burns would presumably be bit older, due to their greater medical experience or time in service. Since Col. Potter was a WWI vet (originally in the Cavalry), he would have been in his 50s. In the movie _M_A_S_H\*, Hot Lips has already made the Army her home, so she would probably have been in her late 20s or early 30s as well. Since she’d also already attained the rank of Major, I would assume the latter. I think in the case of Henry Blake, his rank of Lt. Col. would have reflected his command position as much as his medical experience, and such posts were often assigned on the basis of other factors as well (e.g., leadership ability). ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/m-a-s-h-question/641100/4 "2012-11-15T17:30:32Z")
According to the books, Hawkeye is 31 in 1954 when he gets out of the Army. Trapper is a couple of years older, since he has already passed his thoracic boards. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/m-a-s-h-question/641100/5 "2012-11-15T17:31:25Z")
Once you start adding up the numbers, though, the ages don’t fit. Frank and Charles were both older than the Hawkeye-Trapper-BJ bracket. Frank had an established practice. Henry had an established practice, too. Sherman Potter was an enigma. He supposedly joined the cavalry (as in horses) during WW1, and I believe he mentioned he lied about his age to enlist. Some time in between world wars, Sherman got out of the army and went to medical school. I think he returned to the military during WW2 as a doctor (not too sure of the facts on this) and then just stayed in to retire. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/m-a-s-h-question/641100/6 "2012-11-15T17:35:39Z")
At least in the series, Hawkeye is a WWII veteran or is implied to be. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/m-a-s-h-question/641100/7 "2012-11-15T17:37:05Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > At least in the series, Hawkeye is a WWII veteran or is implied to be. No he isn’t. He’s a Korean War draftee. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/m-a-s-h-question/641100/8 "2012-11-15T17:38:23Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > At least in the series, Hawkeye is a WWII veteran or is implied to be. When did that happen? The TV show took a lot of liberties with the story so it wouldn’t surprise me. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/m-a-s-h-question/641100/9 "2012-11-15T17:44:30Z")
> [@VOW](#): > > Some time in between world wars, Sherman got out of the army and went to medical school. I think he returned to the military during WW2 as a doctor (not too sure of the facts on this) and then just stayed in to retire. > ~VOW If he was born in 1901, he could have lied about his age for WW1, then gone to medical school after. If he joined the army as a doctor in the 1920’s or so, he could have served about 35 years or so by the Korean War. I think he was staying on a little too long for the Korean War, but chose to do so because of how important it was. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/m-a-s-h-question/641100/10 "2012-11-15T17:55:00Z")
The only age I remember being given (other than Radar at 19) was BJ at 28. That was in the first episode that he was on. (Frank had a line “Give me a man when he’s 28…”) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/m-a-s-h-question/641100/11 "2012-11-15T17:58:06Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > If he was born in 1901, he could have lied about his age for WW1, then gone to medical school after. If he joined the army as a doctor in the 1920’s or so, he could have served about 35 years or so by the Korean War. I think he was staying on a little too long for the Korean War, but chose to do so because of how important it was. In his debut episode, he was identified as Col. Sherman Potter, USA, meaning he was a professional Army officer (much to the initial dislike of Hawkeye and BJ). While he may have left the service at some point after 1918 and returned to it later, so far as I know there’s no reason he couldn’t have made the Army his career while pursuing a medical degree. After graduating college, he would have become a commissioned officer; with an MD, even the peacetime Army of the 1930s would have been glad to have him. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/m-a-s-h-question/641100/12 "2012-11-15T18:01:43Z")
> [@VOW](#): > > Frank and Charles were both older than the Hawkeye-Trapper-BJ bracket. Frank had an established practice. > > Henry had an established practice, too. Which is why they held the ranks of Major and Lt. Col., respectively. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/m-a-s-h-question/641100/13 "2012-11-15T18:09:07Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > If he was born in 1901, he could have lied about his age for WW1, then gone to medical school after. If he joined the army as a doctor in the 1920’s or so, he could have served about 35 years or so by the Korean War. I think he was staying on a little too long for the Korean War, but chose to do so because of how important it was. He said he was 15 when he joined the Army - “had big thighs for a boy”. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/m-a-s-h-question/641100/14 "2012-11-15T18:10:47Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > After graduating college, he would have become a commissioned officer. Another possibility is that he actually received a battlefield commission during WWI. Presumably, he could also have requested a transfer from the Cavalry to the Medical Corps at some point in his military career. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/m-a-s-h-question/641100/15 "2012-11-15T18:13:25Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > He said he was 15 when he joined the Army - “had big thighs for a boy”. The US entered WWI in 1917, meaning he was probably born in 1902. That would make him, what, 49 in when he took command of the 4077th in 1951? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/m-a-s-h-question/641100/16 "2012-11-15T18:27:23Z")
The great part of the TV show is that it ran for 11 years in a war that lasted 4 years, yet the characters clearly aged 11 years over the course of the show. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/m-a-s-h-question/641100/17 "2012-11-15T18:35:32Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > The great part of the TV show is that it ran for 11 years in a war that lasted 4 years, yet the characters clearly aged 11 years over the course of the show. Being in a war will do that to you… :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/m-a-s-h-question/641100/18 "2012-11-15T18:35:51Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Which is why they held the ranks of Major and Lt. Col., respectively. They also got a better rank for enlisting instead of being drafted, I think. > [@terentii](#): > > The US entered WWI in 1917, meaning he was probably born in 1902. That would make him, what, 49 in when he took command of the 4077th in 1951? Ah, that is probably about right. He seemed really old in the show, but I think he was only supposed to be mid-50’s or so. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/m-a-s-h-question/641100/19 "2012-11-15T18:42:53Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > They also got a better rank for enlisting instead of being drafted, I think. They could have, but I think every one of the 4077 doctors (with the exception of Potter) was a draftee. > [@](#): > > Ah, that is probably about right. He seemed really old in the show, but I think he was only supposed to be mid-50’s or so. According to Harry Morgan’s bio, he was actually 60 (!) when he assumed the role of Potter: > **[Harry Morgan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Morgan)** > > Harry Morgan (born Harry Bratsberg; April 10, 1915 – December 7, 2011) was an American actor whose television and film career spanned six decades. Morgan's major roles included Pete Porter in both December Bride (1954–1959) and Pete and Gladys (1960–1962); Officer Bill Gannon on Dragnet (1967–1970); Amos Coogan on Hec Ramsey (1972–1974); and his starring role as Colonel Sherman T. Potter in M\*A\*S\*H (1975–1983) and AfterMASH (1983–1985). Morgan also appeared as a supporting player in more than ... ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/m-a-s-h-question/641100/20 "2012-11-15T18:53:38Z")
In the episode ‘Pressure Points’, Potter tells Sydney Freedman that he is 63 years old and no longer confident in his ability as a surgeon. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/m-a-s-h-question/641100.md?page=2)