Lieutenant Scheisskopf chews out his platoon for their lax way of marching as a group, wishing they would follow orders better. Clevinger suggests they may work better in smaller teams, despite Yossarian's protest, leading them both to be punished.

Yossarian finds himself pessimistic and aimless, not much caring for anything including his time with a woman and the upcoming parade. An off-handed comment from a fellow comrade leads Yossarian to an attempt to feign sickness to get out of his duties. The doc sees right through it, telling him to use his sickness wisely.

It's revealed during the parade that the woman Yossarian is seeing is Lieutenant Scheisskopf's wife. Clevinger collapses during the parade, leading to more reprimands for himself and Yossarian, for simply being near him.

Yossarian completes another intense bombing mission, closer than ever to completing them for good. A young kid named Mudd bunks with him, asking for directions to the registration tent. Yossarian accidentally gives him the wrong directions, sending him on an immediate mission. Yossarian finds out at dinner that Mudd did not make it, and feels partially responsible.

Yossarian grows increasingly nervous about the remaining missions. On the latest, one of his friends' planes is blown apart, sending his friend to smash against his window. The image haunts him, his detailing of the event lowering the morale of the men.

Colonel Cathcart assumes command of the missions, marking his first act with an increase of twenty-five missions to thirty. Yossarian panics and seeks out the doctor to plead insanity, but the doctor introduces him to Catch-22, and so he is dismissed.

On yet another bombing run, Yossarian grows distracted with a blood stain, likely from his friend, and begins scratching it off the window as the flak blows up around him.