Although listed as being Season 1 Episode 5, this is clearly the chronological original episode of the series. Lt. Rice reports to Camp Pendelton for the first time, complete with a voiceover from him at the beginning explaining how he came there from training. Rice also mentions he is from Clary, Indiana. In the listed episode 1, A Million Miles from Clary (1963), Rice has already been posted to Camp Pendleton when a recruit from his home town of Clary is posted to his platoon.
If this episode were in fact originally meant as the pilot, being Rice's first day, Rice's narration might have been added once it became the fifth episode since it makes this episode a memory from an established character (of his first day) as opposed to a first episode of the series. Basically, this episode, through narration, is a flashback from Rice.
Since this fifth episode centers on how the series began with Lt. Rice showing up to work, it could be considered a prequel of sorts.
Steve Franken plays Rice's buddy, basically the comic relief, the same kind of character who had been played by Don Penny in what turned out to be the first four episodes. Penny and Franken would interchange this particular kind of funny-sidekick role, but they are different characters.
Early role for character-actor Stuart Margolin, and he plays a goading, devilish character, something he'd excel at for decades (in particular as Angel on The Rockford Files).