The Ferrara Mission

Colonel Cathcart volunteers his group to destroy the bridge at Ferrara. After six days of failed attempts, Yossarian leads a second bomb run on the seventh day, successfully destroying the bridge but losing a plane and its crew, including Kraft. Yossarian is wracked with guilt but is also promoted to captain and awarded a medal for his 'courage.' Colonel Cathcart and Colonel Korn cynically decide to reward him to cover up the disaster, turning a tragedy into a public relations victory. This mission establishes the pattern of absurd rewards for deadly failures.