Minor Characters
Clevinger
A Harvard-educated comrade of Yossarian’s, Clevinger pushes back against military authority in boot camp, and his plane later disappears into thin air over the island of Elba.
Havermeyer
A pilot who loves flying, especially dangerous missions, Havermeyer eventually ends up flying near Dobbs when Dobbs' plane crashes, killing Nately, Dobbs, and others. Havermeyer later tells Yossarian he is experiencing combat fatigue, and is no longer excited to complete his missions.
Hungry Joe
A former photographer, Hungry Joe is tormented by terrible nightmares, causing him to scream and wake up most the group. Yossarian learns at the end of the novel that Hungry Joe has actually died from an overabundance of these nightmares.
McWatt
A daredevil pilot who enjoys “buzzing” (flying close to) the camp, McWatt accidentally kills Kid Sampson while buzzing and, to punish himself, flies his plane into a mountain.
Nately
Son of a wealthy businessman, Nately falls in love with a Roman prostitute and later demands that she stop sleeping with other men. Nately is killed in battle toward the end of the novel.
Scheisskopf
A boot-camp officer obsessed with parades, Scheisskopf is later transferred to Pianosa, where he ends up outranking Dreedle and Peckem, much to their chagrin.
Wintergreen
A low-ranking official, Wintergreen is constantly demoted for going AWOL (absent without leave). He then serves his punishment afterward. Wintergreen believes acting out this cycle of crime and punishment is his duty as an American soldier.
Major ______ de Coverley
A lion-haired Major, de Coverley has only two skills: he is a great horseshoe player, and he is good at procuring rest-leave apartments for the officers. De Coverley was wounded in the eye by a flower during a parade in Rome.
Captain Black
Black, an intelligence officer, believes his position proves he is, in fact, intelligent. Black is angry with Major Major for being promoted over him (by accident). Black starts a loyalty oath campaign, which he does not allow Major Major to participate in, to discredit the Major.
Kid Sampson
A young soldier, Kid Sampson is killed by McWatt when the latter buzzes the beach on which many soldiers are lying or swimming. Sampson’s death horrifies many of the onlookers.
Piltchard and Wren
Two officers in charge of joint command operations, Piltchard and Wren love flying mission so much, they ask Cathcart for even more assignments.
Luciana
A love interest of Yossarian’s, Luciana spends an evening with him and gives him her address, which he throws away, much to his later dismay. Yossarian never finds Luciana again.
Nurses Duckett and Cramer
Two nurses working in the hospital on Pianosa, Duckett and Cramer attempt to keep unruly soldiers, like Yossarian, in line. Duckett ends up dating Yossarian for a time, until she decides to wait to marry a doctor. Her break-up with Yossarian pleases Nurse Cramer.
The Soldier Who Saw Everything Twice
A man who has gone insane during training, the Soldier Who Saw Everything Twice is later impersonated by Yossarian, when this soldier’s parents and brother come to visit.
Corporal Whitcomb
The chaplain’s assistant, Whitcomb is an atheist—but despite this, he hopes to take over the chaplain’s job one day.
Dobbs
A comrade of Yossarian’s, Dobbs wishes to murder Cathcart, hoping this will keep the number of missions from rising. Dobbs is later killed on a bombing run.
Major Sanderson
A staff psychiatrist, Sanderson declares Yossarian insane but sends the wrong man home to the US in Yossarian’s place. Sanderson is far more paranoiac and neurotic than the patients he examines.
Mrs. Daneeka
Doc Daneeka’s wife, Mrs. Daneeka is informed by the army that her husband has died in McWatt’s plane, even though he is still alive. Mrs. Daneeka ends up moving to a new state and starting a new life on account of this (false) information.
Yossarian’s new roommates
These four young recruits become Yossarian’s new tent-mates after Orr’s disappearance. Yossarian is frustrated by their constant good cheer and camaraderie.