Colonel Korn
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Lieutenant Colonel Korn is a fictional character in Joseph Heller's novel Catch-22.
He is a lieutenant colonel, and the assistant to group commander Colonel Cathcart. Korn is older than Cathcart and went to a state university. Most ideas that come out of Cathcart's office are, in fact, conceived by Colonel Korn. Korn is sadistic, cynical, and humorless. He manipulates Colonel Cathcart, and even puts words in his mouth. He exercises a great deal more control of himself than Cathcart, and although he is of lower rank, runs the squadron to some extent more than Cathcart.
Just like Cathcart, Korn's ambition is to rise in rank. While Cathcart wants to become a general, Korn wants to become a colonel.
His name is a take on "corn kernel."
[edit] Film
Colonel Korn was portrayed by Buck Henry in Mike Nichols' 1970 film adaptation of the novel.