Corporal Basgall is a wounded U.S. Army soldier who makes a one-time appearance in the Season 7 episode "Rally ‘Round the Flagg, Boys". The part of Corporal Basgall is played by Neil Thompson who is the husband of Barbara Brownell, the actress behind Lieutenant Jones in the early seasons. This is the second of two appearances by Neil Thompson. In Season 6 he played Private Johnson in "Tea and Empathy".
About Corporal Basgall[]
At the beginning of the episode, a wounded Corporal Basgall arrives at the 4077th MASH on board an ambulance bus. His own injuries are slight but he asks Hawkeye to look at his buddy Elverson first as he is severely wounded. Hawkeye takes a look and agrees that Elverson should get top priority. But just as he is about to move Elverson to the O.R., Winchester, who is also doing triage on board the bus declares that a North Korean prisoner is too severely injured and they shouldn't waste any time on him. Hawkeye takes a look and disagrees He believes the P.O.W. can be saved if they operate on him immediately. Winchester is annoyed at being overruled and Basgall is furious that his buddy is now being overtaken by an enemy soldier, not understanding that Hawkeye's priorities mean saving the most grievously injured men first regardless of faction.
A couple of hours later, Basgall is wheeled into the O.R. Although he has been assigned to B.J., he sees Hawkeye at the next table and goes ballistic. He starts calling Hawkeye names like "Commie lover", someone who just doesn't care. He gets so violent that Margaret has trouble trying to restrain and anesthetize him. Meanwhile, Winchester has been taunting Hawkeye in the O.R. as well. Finally Hawkeye has had enough. He loses his cool and yells at Basgall, telling him to clamp up or he will come over and clamp him up. B.J. has to step him and tell Hawkeye to calm down and get back into his corner.
A day or two later, Basgall asks to talk to B.J. he is about to be shipped to an evac hospital and wants B.J. to fix things so that Elverson leaves with him. B.J. says he can't do that because Elverson is Hawkeye's patient. B.J. tells Basgall that Hawkeye is the best surgeon they have and whatever he says is right for Elverson is right. He reminds Basgall that Hawkeye did save Elverson's life. But Basgall is skeptical. He retorts: "Oh, sure when he got around to it. Thanks to my pushing him." Basgall concludes that doctors always stick together, causing him to become exceedingly bigoted towards Hawkeye.
That night, the maddened Basgall makes his way to the Swamp and threatens Hawkeye with a cane, insisting that Elverson be evacuated together with him. Hawkeye orders Basgall to bed but Basgall moves in to strike him and tries to stab him when the cane breaks, so that Hawkeye has to run around the Swamp evading the attacks. Fortunately, B.J. enters the Swamp just then and manages to restrain Basgall but was forced to hit him in the process. B.J. summons Goldman to take Basgall back to Post-Op, and then tells Hawkeye: "I notice I don't practice what I preach."