mobile army surgical hospital

hospital

Also known as: MASH

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Last updated

July 17, 2026

Quick Summary

MASH is an abbreviation for mobile army surgical hospital. This refers to a type of field hospital that was used by the U.S. Army.1

The term MASH is also widely recognized from the American television dramedy series of the same name. This show, which aired from 1972 to 1983, was set in South Korea during the Korean War and followed the medical staff working in a mobile army surgical hospital. The series was based on a 1970 film and focused on the lives and antics of the surgeons and nurses caring for the wounded.2

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2 Britannica Sources

MASH
M*A*S*H

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battlefield medicine
The mobile army surgical hospital (MASH) was used by U.S. forces during the Korean War in the 1950s and was still in service during the Persian Gulf War (1990–91). MASH units—which had 60 beds, required 50 large trucks to move, and took 24 hours to set…
Read More
The mobile army surgical hospital (MASH) was used by U.S. forces during the Korean War in the 1950s and was still in service during the Persian Gulf War (1990–91). MASH units—which had 60 beds, required 50 large trucks to move, and took 24 hours to set…
Read More