Captain Piltchard and Captain Wren are the squadron’s “inoffensive . . . mild, soft-spoken” joint squadron officers. They love the war: “Nothing so wonderful as war had ever happened to them before.” The two are responsible for combat assignments; they joyfully volunteer themselves for every mission and have flown hundreds. When they learn of Yossarian’s excuse for returning from the Bologna run, they call him to a public reprimand. In their friendly, cheerful manner, the squadron officers suggest that airmen make sure there is an important reason before turning back from a mission; a faulty intercom does not qualify. But to prove they bear no hostility toward Yossarian, Piltchard and Wren assign him to fly lead bombardier, with McWatt as his pilot, in the first formation when the squadron returns to Bologna the next day—a mission necessitated because the ammunition dumps were not destroyed the first time. Yossarian’s position will be one of importance and more than the usual danger. The squadron expects another milk run but is in for a surprise. Immediately following the second raid on Bologna, Yossarian heads for Rome where he meets the wistfully enchanting Luciana.
