Dr. Stubbs

Dr. Stubbs is a flight surgeon in Dunbar's squadron who stands apart from the other medical officers on Pianosa by actively defying the command's efforts to keep men flying combat missions. While Doc Daneeka passively refuses to ground anyone, Dr. Stubbs deliberately and openly grounds men who have completed their missions, using proper medical forms that are then rejected by Group Headquarters with orders restoring the confused pilots, navigators, bombardiers and gunners to combat duty. His actions make him a focal point of resistance and a target for Colonel Cathcart and Colonel Korn's retribution.

Defiance and Grounding

Dr. Stubbs is first encountered sitting in the dense shadows of his medical tent during the Great Big Siege of Bologna, a bottle of whiskey before him, while the doors to the medical tents in other squadrons have been nailed shut to prevent men from reporting on sick call. He vows to ground anyone who walks through his door, declaring, "I don't give a damn what they say." When Dunbar reminds him of the orders, Dr. Stubbs responds that he will "knock him flat on his ass with an injection and really ground him." His sardonic amusement at the prospect reveals a man who understands the absurdity of the system and is willing to risk his own position to subvert it. He later grounds all men with sixty missions on proper forms, which are rejected by Group, but the act itself creates insubordinate dissension in his squadron.

Conflict with Command

Dr. Stubbs's defiance does not go unnoticed. Colonel Korn, in a conversation with the chaplain, reveals that Group is incensed with all flight surgeons because of Dr. Stubbs, who is "deliberately and defiantly brewing insidious dissension" by grounding men. The chaplain, when he protests the number of missions to Colonel Korn, is accused of being sent by Dr. Stubbs. Colonel Korn warns him, "The jig is up between you and Dr. Stubbs. We know very well he sent you up here to complain today." The chaplain denies this, but the accusation underscores the threat Dr. Stubbs poses to the command's authority.

Punishment and Transfer

The consequences for Dr. Stubbs's principled stand are severe. Colonel Korn informs the chaplain that Dr. Stubbs has been telling the men in his squadron they did not have to fly more than seventy missions. The response is swift and punitive: "Well, Padre, they do have to fly more than seventy missions, because we're transferring Dr. Stubbs to the Pacific." This transfer is a direct punishment for his insubordination, a way to remove a troublesome figure who undermines the command's ability to raise the number of missions. Doc Daneeka, who is himself declared dead, blames Dr. Stubbs for his own predicament, claiming that Dr. Stubbs's actions stirred up Colonel Cathcart and Colonel Korn against all flight surgeons, and warns that Dr. Stubbs will be "black-balled by his state medical association and kept out of the hospitals" for standing up for principle.

Narrative Role and Significance

Dr. Stubbs serves as a foil to Doc Daneeka, embodying the ethical courage that the squadron's flight surgeon lacks. While Doc Daneeka is paralyzed by fear for his own safety and career, Dr. Stubbs acts on his professional judgment and moral conviction, even knowing the consequences. His brief appearances highlight the systemic corruption of the military hierarchy, where those who follow orders are rewarded and those who protect the men are punished. His transfer to the Pacific is a stark illustration of how the system eliminates dissent, reinforcing Yossarian's understanding that the real enemy is not the Germans but the men in command who are willing to sacrifice their own soldiers for personal advancement. Dr. Stubbs's fate, like that of Dunbar, who is "disappeared," demonstrates that there is no room for principled opposition within Colonel Cathcart's group.