If you flee... They'll know you're their enemy... and smash you! Boldness is your only chance... for who will dream a "mouse" will walk into the den of six "tigers"? 
G.I. Combat #128 is an issue of the series G.I. Combat (Volume 1) with a cover date of February, 1968. It was published on December 12, 1967.
Synopsis for Haunted Tank: "The Ghost of the Haunted Tank!"
Appearing in Haunted Tank: "The Ghost of the Haunted Tank!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- General J.E.B. Stuart (As a spirit)
Antagonists:
- German Artillery soldiers
Locations:
Items:
- German 88 mm anti-tank artillery gun
- Log Raft
Vehicles:
- The Haunted Tank
- German Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. B
Synopsis for Haunted Tank: "The Haunted Tank Vs. Killer Tank!"
This story is reprinted from G.I. Combat #94.
The Haunted Tank and its crew are with a squadron on a mission to smash through the second of two key towns when a disguised voice cuts in on their radios. Jeb Stuart and his crew listen in as the voice threatens them with ominous destruction if they continue on their way towards the town of Crucy. "Our secret terror weapon will destroy you one by one!", it says. They just laugh it off, believing it a joke made just to rattle the American forces. But thirty minutes later, just as the squadron commander signals for them to cross a field in single formation, their lead tank #1 is destroyed in a mysterious fiery blast. The other tank commanders pop their hatches and peer out, but there is no sign of the enemy anywhere - no fighter, ship or cannon to be seen. Then, the voice returns. "You have been warned! No. 2 will be next... if you continue!" Lt. Herb Green, on the second tank, takes command and orders the squadron to continue on towards Crucy.
The squadron enters the forest in front of Crucy. Lt. Green orders tank #2 to break formation and find the best path through the trees. Inside the Haunted Tank, Slim and Rick are trying to figure out how the enemy could have pinpointed tank #1 so accurately to destroy it, but their guesses only succeed in worrying them more about what's ahead. Jeb is sure it was just a coincidence. Then, Tank #2 explodes right in front of them, just as the mysterious voice had said would happen. No plane or cannon could have spotted them in the thick woods. Lt. Mac Adams in tank #3 takes charge, ordering the remaining squadron forward to continue. They will fight on as long as one tank is standing. Halfway through the woods, they come across a bridge over a river. Lt. Adams orders his tanks to take position on both sides of the bridge to cover him while he crosses in front of the others. With all directions covered, they believe it to be safe. Then, as tank #3 reaches the middle of the bridge, it is destroyed. Jeb watches as the smoking tank falls into the river. How could they have done it? The ghost of General J.E.B. Stuart appears before Jeb, but offers little advice to the mystery at hand. Now the lead tank, Jeb takes command of the squadron and they continue on.
Another hour on, and the village of Aviens, the first of the two towns the squadron has to take, appears on the hillside before them. The fields are heavy with shelling, and the squadron is ordered forward to blast the enemy out of the way. The crossing cost them tank #9, Lt. Julie's tank and crew, but they manage though to reach the town. The lead tank orders them to split up and destroy the individual enemy targets, but little do they know the enemy is waiting for them. Aviens has been called the "town that couldn't be taken", and the Germans have placed guns everywhere to back up that claim. The Haunted Tank is pinned down by an enemy gun out of a clock town. Rick is unable to elevate their gun to reach the enemy. An enemy shell burst just beside the Haunted Tank, causing them to sink a little into the ground so that their cannon is now pointing up directly at the tower. With the needed elevation, Rick destroys the tower and the gun inside. The Haunted Tank is now free to join the rest of the squadron, who have finished cleaning up the rest of the enemy from the town of Aviens. The only tank left to return is #5, commanded by Lt. Hickie, who finally shows up late but undamaged. They continue on towards their objective, the town of Crucy. Jeb is worried, as the Haunted Tank is tank #4 and next in line to be destroyed by the mysterious terror weapon.
About a mile upriver, the riverbank levels out enough for the tanks to cross. With the woods in front of them too thick for the tanks to pass, Jeb decides to take the squadron along the ravine until they can get a fix on where they are. Inside the tank, Rick, Arch amnd Slim are sweating bullets, wondering when they'll be targeted like the three tanks before them. They follow the ravine for quite a while, then take a sharp turn to climb out and find themselves now behind the town of Crucy. As the squadron lines up to prepare to attack, the mysterious voice comes over the radio once again. "Crucy... and you die! No. 4 first, until you are all wiped out!" Jeb orders the tanks to hold their fire until the enemy realizes their being attacked from the rear. As they rumble towards the town, he is puzzled how the enemy could have known the exact numbering of their tanks in order to destroy them in order. No plane or military spotter could. It had to be someone on the ground, practically on top of their tanks... or inside one! Then, they enemy spots them and begins fire. Jeb orders the tanks to stay in formation as they enter the town, not wanting to give whoever has been destroying them the chance to separate and pick them off. Jeb tries to think how he could get the traitor to expose himself. What would a ruthless foe do, that they wouldn't? The Haunted Tank, followed by the squadron, turn a corner to find a Panzer waiting for them, using captured civilians as a shield between them. Jeb orders the others to hold their fire. Lt. Hickie questions the order, and moves forward to attack the Panzer. Jeb then realizes that's the answer to his question and orders the others to open fire onto tank #5. The shells slam into the back of Hickie's tank, causing it to lurch forward into the Panzer and exploding the ammo inside. Both tank #5 and the Panzer are destroyed. It was one chance in a million, but as Jeb examines the wreckage he finds a Nazi officer's cap smoldering in the debris. Now with the threat of destruction by their own gone, the squadron is free to continue their attack on the enemy and liberate Crucy. Jeb looks up as his ancestor's ghost appears before him. "Imagine... all this only took a day." The General smiles. "But what a day, Jeb. What a day!"
Appearing in Haunted Tank: "The Haunted Tank Vs. Killer Tank!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- General J.E.B. Stuart (As a spirit)
Antagonists:
- Unnamed Nazi Officer
- German Infantry soldiers
Other Characters:
- Lieutenant Mac Adams (Dies)
- Lieutenant Herb Green(Dies)
- American Tank Squadron Commander (Dies)
- Lieutenant Hickie (Dies)
- Lieutenant Julie (Dies)
Locations:
Vehicles:
- The Haunted Tank
- Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. B
See Also
Links and References
Look at how sad this is making Batman. You did this.