Did Radar tell you this article was on the way?
"M*A*S*H" is one of the great stories on television. The CBS series ran from 1972 to 1983 and evolved from sophomoric humor to some cutting political commentary, all without losing the plot.
According to The Washington Post, some of the most-viewed series finales of all time are “Friends,” with 52.5 million viewers; “Seinfeld,” with 76.3 million viewers; and “Cheers,” with 80.4 million viewers. And then there’s "M*A*S*H," with an untouchable 106 million viewers.
We’ll never forget the show’s lovable characters, but how about the vehicles that made the mobile surgical hospital tick? Let’s fire up the Internet Movie Cars Database, step inside that old Army motor pool and see what we can find.
Obligatory Jeeps
If you’re going to tell a story about World War II, the Korean War or the Vietnam War, it better have a Jeep in it. "M*A*S*H" has plenty.
Many of the Jeeps you see on screen are a Willys MB, arguably the greatest military vehicle of all time. The lightweight, reliable and shockingly capable off-roader solidified its status as an icon in World War II and continued its service in Korea (and around the world, for that matter).
The Army undoubtedly got use out of legacy MBs in Korea, but it also employed the newer Willys M38 (or MC, in Willys speak) and later M38A1 (MD). When Radar disassembled a Jeep to mail it home in pieces, he chose an M38A1.
If you’re rewatching "M*A*S*H", keep an eye on those front fenders. The MB and MC have flat sheet metal, while the MD has curves that aren’t that dissimilar from the fenders on today’s Jeep Wrangler.
If you’re really into Jeep lore, you might even spot a civilian model playing dress-up. One Jeep that appears in Season 10, Episode 8 is clearly lacking hinges on the bottom of the grille. That makes it a CJ-2A.
And as would have been in the case in real life, many of the Jeeps we see are actually Ford GPWs. During World War II, Ford chipped into the war effort by building MBs when the Willys production line maxed out. According to Hemmings, Ford built more than 280,000 GPWs alongside more than 360,000 Willys MBs.
Ambulances
A show about a mobile Army surgical hospital wouldn’t be very realistic without regular ambulances. Many patients made dramatic entrances in iconic Bell 47 helicopters, but ambulances still played a key role in rescuing wounded from the battlefield. Interestingly, they were all Dodges.
At the beginning of the series, casualties arrive at the hospital in Dodge WC 27 ambulances. This vehicle was a holdover from World War II. According to International Military Antiques, Dodge built this half-ton, four-wheel-drive ambulance in small numbers at the beginning of the war before replacing it with its heavier-duty replacement. They even have a video of one that runs and drives.
In later seasons, the three-quarter-ton Dodge WC 54 took over for the WC 27. This likely would have been a common sight in the Korean War, given how many of them were in military service at the war’s outbreak. According to the National WWII Museum, Dodge built more than 23,000 WC 54 ambulances between 1942 and 1944.
The Dodge M-43 started replacing the WC 54 in 1951, but it only got limited screen time in "M*A*S*H." The only example I could find was a quick appearance in the 1983 series finale.
According to Military Trader, a site that specializes in the sale of decommissioned military vehicles, the new ambulance featured a steel unibody cab, two litter racks and a surgical dome light in the litter compartment. It even had heating and ventilation throughout – a welcome comfort in the harsh Korean summers and winters, no doubt.
Heavy Haulers
After digging into all the vehicles of "M*A*S*H," I’m pleased to report that the unsung logistics trucks that so often get overlooked actually got fairly heavy representation in the series.
The GMC CCKW 353 that saw use throughout the show’s run was another returning veteran of World War II. According to Military Historia, the long-wheelbase CCKW 353 played a huge role in the Allied victory; I’ve seen reports that General Motors built anywhere from 500,000 to 600,000 of the six-wheel-drive trucks.
The 2.5-ton truck was designated for its cargo limit, not its own weight. Hauling 5,000 pounds is no small feat considering the 4.4-liter engine only made about 90 horsepower. You can spot it by the open-top cab – how sporty!
GMC produced the M211 to replace the CCKW, and "M*A*S*H" featured it once in Season 10. This 2.5-ton truck was most famous for its eight-speed automatic transmission from Cadillac. That might sound advanced and even luxurious for the time, but its reception was mixed at best. As Military Trader reports, many drivers would have much rather shifted their own gears – a sentiment that’s almost unanimous among today’s truck drivers, too.
Finally, in history and in the show, along came the REO M34 and M35 “Deuce and a Half.” These trucks got very limited screen time in the later seasons of "M*A*S*H," but they’re one of the more recognizable vehicles in the series. That’s because the family of vehicles lasted even longer than the TV series; various manufacturers produced it for U.S. and foreign militaries for half a century spanning from World War II into the 1990s. It even appeared in “Black Hawk Down.”
Once again, Dodge got representation with the WC series of trucks that became the Power Wagon in the civilian market. In addition to ambulances, this massive family of vehicles included cargo trucks and Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s WC 6 staff truck in Season 3, Episode 21.
The Chevrolet G-Series made one appearance, as did some variety of flat-nosed Ford. They were only background props in the show, but I’m not one to just ignore a cab-over truck.
Surprise Appearances
In addition to all these incredible military vehicles, "M*A*S*H" featured a few standout cameos.
The Ford B-series appeared in one of the most disturbing plot twists of the entire series. I won’t dwell on what was or was not a chicken, but this appears to be a second-generation bus that Ford produced from 1953 to 1956. It’s a stretch to imagine one making its way to Korea before the end of the war, but we can pretend.
On a lighter note, "M*A*S*H" treated motorcyclists to several on-screen bikes thanks to the show’s resident rider, Capt. BJ Hunnicutt. This is the first of three motorcycles he rides in the series. It looks like a Harley-Davidson FLH Hydra-Glide – plus a sidecar, plus a North Korean prisoner/captor/prisoner again, minus a headlight.
Is it likely that impoverished Korean farmers would not only have a Harley, but eagerly donate it to passing soldiers? Unlikely. Bikes are always welcome props, though.
Is Sophie a vehicle or a character? Either way, this article wouldn’t be complete without her. Col. Sherman Potter was often gruff and stern with his troops, but he had an obvious soft spot for his adopted horse. I do, too.
Remembering the Forgotten
The Korean War is sadly, but accurately, referred to as the forgotten war. The short conflict often gets overlooked by history teachers, Hollywood screenwriters and even history buffs who gloss right over it in favor of studying World War II and the Vietnam War.
That’s a shame. According to the U.S. military’s Defense Casualty Analysis System, 23,613 service members were killed in action, with an overall total of 54,246 deaths and 103,284 wounded.
If rewatching "M*A*S*H" episodes and reminiscing about old military vehicles brings those who experienced the war into the spotlight, the attention will be well-deserved.
Related: 5 Unsung Vehicles from ‘Band of Brothers’
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