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 an obvious pun on "corn kernel."

[edit] Film

Colonel Korn was portrayed by Buck Henry in Mike Nichols' 1970 film adaptation of the novel.

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Catch-22
Catch-22
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Yossarian • Aarfy • Appleby • Captain Black • The Chaplain • Colonel Cargill • Colonel Cathcart • Clevinger • Nurse Cramer • Major Danby • Doc Daneeka • Major —— de Coverley • General Dreedle • Dobbs • Nurse Duckett • Dunbar • Dori Duz • Lieutenant Engle • Captain Flume • Gus & Wes • Havermeyer • Huple • Hungry Joe • Kid Sampson • Sergeant Knight • Corporal Kolodny • Colonel Korn • Kraft • Luciana • Major Major Major Major • McWatt • Michaela • Milo Minderbinder • Colonel Moodus • Mudd (aka the Dead Man in Yossarian's tent) • Nately • Orr • General Peckem • Piltchard & Wren • Major Sanderson • Lieutenant/General Scheisskopf • Mrs Scheisskopf • Corporal Snark • Snowden • The Soldier Who Sees Everything Twice (aka Giuseppe) • Dr. Stubbs • Sergeant Towser • Lieutenant Travers • Corporal Whitcomb • Chief White Halfoat • ex-P.F.C. Wintergreen
Unnamed characters
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