one time Binghamton leads the PT-73 into battle, he only succeeds in "sinking" an enemy truck on land with a torpedo (a gag that was used in the Cary Grant film Operation Petticoat), based on an actual attack conducted by the . Binghamton is constantly trying to "get the goods" on "McHale and his pirates" to send them to prison or get them transferred and he comes close just about all the time, only to have McHale's crew get out of trouble, usually by having some kind of military success, through some form of blackmail (such as telling the admiral what really happened) or because Binghamton wants some kind of a favor from McHale. When he is not complaining about McHale and his crew to his superiors, Binghamton constantly tries to impress superior officers, VIPs or people with connections for personal gain—which usually backfires, making him look foolish. As a running gag, Binghamton is forever being knocked down (usually by Parker or Carpenter) or covered with something messy (also usually because of Parker). Blind without his glasses, Binghamton also has his glasses knocked or taken off (to keep him from seeing something) a number of times. Occasionally, he is seen throwing darts at a picture of McHale. His catchphrases are: "What in the name of the Blue Pacific" or "What in the name of Nimitz (or Halsey)?" (as when he sees gambling or native dancing girls on McHale's Island) and "What is it, wha', wha', wha', what?!" (usually in response to McHale's "Well-a, well-a, well-a"). A running gag has a frustrated Binghamton looking up and saying, "Why me? Why is it always me?" (also used by Tinker in one episode) or "Somebody up there hates me!" His favorite catchphrase is "I could just scream!" which was once used by McHale, Carpenter and even Fuji. The only time Binghamton ever gets even with the PT-73 crew is in McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force when he orders the crew under the command of Ensign Parker to jump off a dock into the water. In the pilot episode, "An Ensign for McHale", the sign outside Binghamton's office reads "Capt. R.F. Binghamton, U.S.N.R." even though his name is later established to be Wallace Burton Binghamton. Lieutenant Carpenter Lieutenant Elroy Carpenter (Bob Hastings, a veteran of The Phil Silvers Show)-Binghamton's sycophantic bumbler aide who tries to be military, but is too inept to be