Dismayed by the number of casualties that could be examined with an accidentally oversized order of tongue depressors, Hawkeye decides to use some to make a replica of the Washington Monument. He's further dismayed when the monument attracts the attention of a recruitment officer.
Attention, all hands! The following tropes have been added to Captain Pierce's monument:
- Chekhov's Gun: The Primacord left by one of the soldiers in the beginning is used as part of Hawkeye's demonstration at the end.
- The Dead Have Names: Hawkeye's monument contains the names of every wounded soldier who was treated at the 4077.
- Dramatically Missing the Point: The recruiting officer who comes by the 4077th and sees the monument. It's anti-war, but he thinks he can turn it into a great recruiting tool.
- Doom It Yourself: Done intentionally by Hawkeye when he blows up the tower to cement its place as an antiwar monument.
- Due to the Dead: After breaking the tongue depressor representing Henry, Hawkeye softly says "Rest in peace, Henry."
- Hair-Trigger Explosive: Averted with the Primacord. When they hear it's an explosive, Hawkeye, B.J., and Klinger (who happens to be holding it) immediately act like it's going to go off if they so much as look at it funny, but the soldier tells them it's stable, needing something like a blasting cap or a hand grenade to set it off.
- Intrepid Reporter: Klinger tries to become one and start his own newspaper as part of his latest get rich quick scheme. It doesn't work out too well.
- Misaimed Fandom: In-Universe. Hawkeye intended for the monument to be an anti-war statement, but the Army sees it as pro-war and plans to use it as a recruiting tool.
- Rules Lawyer: After Hawkeye uses the primacord to show the recruiting officer the senseless destruction of war, Potter is miffed about him and Klinger used it for blowing up the monument; Klinger, of all people, cites the Army regulations about disposing of munitions taken off wounded soldiers.
