The General Swap

Prisoners

 * Colonel Hogan - Bob Crane
 * Corporal Louis LeBeau - Robert Clary
 * Corporal Peter Newkirk - Richard Dawson
 * Sergeant James Kinchloe - Ivan Dixon
 * Sergeant Andrew Carter - Larry Hovis

Camp Personnel

 * Kommandant Wilhelm Klink - Werner Klemperer
 * Sergeant Hans Schultz - John Banner

Semi-Regulars

 * General Albert Burkhalter - Leon Askin

Guest Stars

 * General Aloysius Barton - Frank Gerstle
 * Field Marshal Von Heinke - John Myhers

Synopsis
Hogan captures a German General to trade for a captive American General who dislikes Hogan.

Plot Details
It is business as usual at Stalag 13, with Hogan giving escape instructions to Houlihan, an American pilot who is soon to be the 107th escapee that year. Houlihan questions what will happen when the Germans realise that one man is missing, but Newkirk informs him that they have another man in the tunnels ready to take his place. Houlihan leaves and his replacement enters the barracks just as Schultz arrives to give orders. Schultz immediately notices "Houlihan" as he is far shorter than the actual one, but is distracted by the sound of sirens. The Heroes attempt to see what is happening in the camp, but Schultz gives the directive that all prisoners are confined. The rest of the prisoners distract Schultz long enough for Hogan, Kinch and Carter to look out the door. A truck seated with over half a dozen guards and one prisoner has just arrived in camp, and the prisoner is being taken into a seperate building. Naturally Hogan is curious as to why one prisoner should receive so much attention.

Hogan goes to Klink's office who happens to be enjoying champagne, and lyingly claims that he and the prisoners are concerned that Klink is being overlooked by the German army. Klink however, is such a good mood that not only does he give Hogan a glass of champagne, he also informs him that the new prisoner he has recieved is in fact a general, and of such importance that Field Marshal Von Heinke will be making a visit to Stalag 13, and both he and Klink will have photographs taken with the captured general in front of his captured plane. Klink assures Hogan that he is not being overlooked and asks him to tell the prisoners such, before trying and failing to pour more champagne for himself, as the wily Hogan has already drunk the bottle.

Hogan relays what he has learned from Klink, and Kinch, who has learned from London, informs Hogan that the general in question is General Aloysius Barton, chief of all daylight bombing. London also wants the Heroes to free Barton, much to the Heroes dismay. LeBeau muses that it would be possible if Barton was just an ordinary prisoner, which gives Hogan an idea. Seeing that another prisoner has been brought into camp, Hogan quickly has LeBeau bring him an American general's insignia and pins it to the new prisoner's shirt, as well as whispering instructions into his ear. Klink arrives to meet the prisoner who identifies himself as General Barton. Klink is understandably confused, and Hogan claims that it is an old trick for American prisoners to pretend to be General Barton in order to receive special treatment. Klink is now horrified, thinking that the general in his custody is a fake, and worse, the ramifications of Field Marshal Von Heinke finding out. Klink asks Hogan to identify Barton to see if it is really him and is taken to his luxury cell. Hogan tries to label Barton as a fake, but Barton, not realising Hogan's plan, and having no knowledge of the Heroes operation in Stalag 13, not only shoots down the insinuation that he is fake, but also declares Hogan a traitor for never having had a prisoner escape, much to Hogan's dismay.

Later that night, the Heroes receive further orders from London that Barton must be rescued by any means necessary, and with the small window of time available precluding tunneling, a direct attack on the cell seems to be the only viable option. Newkirk grimly brings out a handgun and openly wishes he could swap it for a tank, giving Hogan an idea. The wily colonel explains that they will kidnap Von Heinke and trade him for General Barton.

Their plan is put into action the next morning, where, having blocked the road to Stalag 13 with a tree, the Heroes overpower Von Heinke and his driver as they attempt to move the tree. The Heroes hide Von Heinke in the trunk of the car and return to camp. Soon enough, the driver arrives at camp and informs Klink of the Field Marshal's kidnap. Klink organises a search effort to find him, and in the confusion, the Heroes remove Von Heinke from the trunk and bring him into the tunnels. Carter is doubtful that Von Heinke would cooperate, as he would know he was still in Germany, but Hogan cryptically replies that they will fly him back to England, in General Barton's plane.

Hogan leaves the barrracks and approaches Schultz, who is guarding the wrecked plane, and distracts him long enough for the prisoners to steal it, piece by piece and reassemble it in the tunnels. Some time later, Von Heinke awakens in the plane, and Hogan, under  the guise of "Colonel Foster" informs him that they are just arriving over the coast of England. As it turns out however, the Heroes are in fact, still in the tunnels, with a record player playing engine noises and smoke to simulate clouds, giving all the appearance of flight.

Von Heinke, is brought into Hogan's office (British decorated) and un-blindfolded before agreeing to establish contact with Germany and negotiate the swap. Meanwhile, General Burkhalter, along with several other Generals have arrived in Stalag 13 and are coordinating the search effort. They receive Von Heinke's broadcast, but Klink, who had earlier been dismissed and noticed the airplane had been stolen, suspects something is amiss, especially as how the American negotiator for the broadcast sounds exactly like Hogan. His suspicions are brushed aside however, when Hogan, knowing of Klink's suspicion, arrives in his office, thus clearing him. Klink remains doubtful, but they soon receive a broadcast from Winston Churchill, which is really an impression by Newkirk. "Churchill's" message settles the matter as far as Burkhalter is concerned, and orders the exchange to be made.

The next day as Barton is due to leave, Newkirk explains their operation to him, and Barton as a sign of respect, salutes Hogan before leaving. Klink thereafter calls Hogan into his office, still thinking that the entire matter is suspicious. Hogan feeds him the idea that Von Heinke was trying to take over Hermann Goering's command, and that Goering and Himmler had him captured by the Allies. Hogan suggests Klink take the charges to Burkhalter, but the fearful Klink decides to let the matter drop for good.

Story Notes

 * This is the forty-eighth episode produced in the series, but is the forty-ninth episode to be shown on television and is the seventeenth episode for the second season.
 * After berating Hogan throughout the episode, General Barton demands Hogan's attention in order to salute him. This is an extremely high honor: ranking officers very rarely begin the saluting ritual.

Timeline Notes and Speculations

 * An early 1943 date appears to be implied by Hogan's comment concerning Hoolihan: "That's the 107th guy we've helped [escape] this year." It can't be 1942, because Kinch makes the distinction that the calendar year has changed.
 * As noted before, this episode takes place before The Flight of the Valkyrie. Otherwise, Hogan's reaction to being told he was no longer the senior ranking POW might have been, "No ... not Crittendon."
 * As noted before, this episode takes place before How to Cook a German Goose by Radar. This episode makes clear that General Barton was the first Allied officer of general's rank to pay Stalag 13 a visit. Otherwise, Hogan and our heroes might have remembered the other occasion.
 * This episode provides us with some insight into Hogan's past just prior to his arrival at Stalag 13. We have already learned in Hogan Gives a Birthday Party that he was commander of the 504th Bomber Squadron. {Later changed to 504th Bomb Group Two Nazis for the Price of One}. In this episode we get to meet his immediate superior - General Aloysius Barton - who gets shot down leading a later raid.
 * A situation similar to that of General Barton's, prior to his being shot down, can be seen in the feature film Twelve O'Clock High, starring Gregory Peck as Brigadier General Frank Savage. In the movie, General Savage was - like General Barton - a stern officer who frequently personally led his bomber crews on many dangerous missions. This Academy Award winning movie is highly recommended to series fans for its realistic portrayal of USAAF Eighth Air Force operations around the time that Colonel Hogan was shot down.

Trivia

 * Field Marshal von Heinke makes the claim that he has "...the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords".  This highly prestigious award was awarded only for extreme bravery or unusual excellence in commanding troops, and only after all lesser classes of the Iron Cross had been awarded.  Only 160 people were ever awarded this decoration (157 German, 2 Spanish, 1 Japanese), so von Heinke is quite correct in dismissing General Barton as "...just another pilot".
 * In the picture above Carter wears a British MP Uniform; the [fake] MP Guard shoulder Insignia is that of the U.S. 1st Division aka "The Big Red One."
 * Twice more Hogan meets US General officers: General Tillman How to Cook a German Goose by Radar; General Sharp Kommandant Gertrude
 * Colonel Klink clearly sees the barrel where the prisoners have General Von Heinke when shouting "All prisoners in the barracks."