Lieutenant Elroy Carpenter (Bob Hastings, a veteran of "The Phil Silvers Show")-Binghamton's sycophantic bumbler aide who tries to be military, but is too inept to be taken seriously. He is slow to catch on and does not know when to keep his mouth shut. Like Parker, he often knocks down, or causes Binghamton to be knocked down because of his clumsiness and dimwittedness. However, again like Parker, Carpenter is also subjected to Binghamton's tirades. Early in the first season, Lt. Carpenter commands "PT-116," but soon drifts into less responsibility. In "McHale's Navy" (1964), Carpenter says he is from Cleveland. In the spin-off movie "McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force," Carpenter is in charge of "PT-116," which is promptly sunk in the first few minutes of the movie.