Ex-PFC Wintergreen

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ex-Private First Class Wintergreen is a character from Joseph Heller's classic novel, Catch-22.

He is an "ex-P.F.C." because of his constant urge to go AWOL, at one point reaching the rank of ex-sergeant, he has hopes of one day attaining the rank of ex-General. Ex-P.F.C. Wintergreen wields a great deal of power in the novel, being responsible for mail distribution. By forging documents and destroying mail, he becomes more powerful than the generals:

Wintergreen determined the outcome by throwing all communications from General Peckem into the waste-basket. He found them too prolix...General Dreedle was victorious by default.

He also competes with Milo's syndicate by selling, among other supplies, stolen Zippo lighters for a penny less. Milo and Wintergreen form a partnership at the end of the book.

In the so-called sequel to Catch-22, Closing Time, Wintergreen is a major character, and it is revealed that his name is Eugene, called Gene for short. This is in keeping with Heller's penchant for rhyming and alliterative names.