All the credit goes to these men, Commander! It took team work... United World team work, to swing this mission! Yes, sir. We've really got something to be proud of... freedom loving peoples fighting together for a common cause! 
- — Major Charles Kirk
G.I. Combat #13 is an issue of the series G.I. Combat (Volume 1) with a cover date of February, 1954.
Synopsis for "Commando Assault"
As Communist representatives veto proposal after proposal over the peace table at Panmunjon, U.N. Officials have started to become skeptical of the enemy’s motives. They begin to believe that the Communists are delaying for time to bolster their armies. However, the U.N. military is ready for this, and the following morning at 0600 hours, elements of the U.S. Fifth Fleet appear at Wonson to shell the vital enemy supply line. Inland, jets from the 9th Fighter Group rain destruction upon an important rail communication. Any supplies to make it through that have to get through the U.N. Heavy Artillery. But in spite of this gallant effort by land, sea and air to cut off the Communist life line, intelligence reports that supplies are still getting through to the enemy lines.
General Dodds at U.N. Headquarters issues orders to cut off the supply line’s origin, China, by destroying the bridge at Yalu, and the neighboring mountain train tunnel at Hanhow. Both objectives have been classified “off limits”, leery of air strikes too close to the Chinese border. General Dodds instead decides to send in a small number of specially trained troops to accomplish the mission, and creates a commando force of top soldiers from many different countries who have distinguished themselves in the field of battle. The very first U.N. commando pool in history is begun, and eight are chosen to complete the mission - Arkuim Tofiak, a knife fighter from Turkey; Kim Sung, and escape artist from South Korea; Taka Harsha, a World War II vet from Ethiopia; Franz Henried, a decorated member of the French Foreign Legion; John Harte, from Canada who held the enemy at bay for 14 hours himself; Emanuel Perez, from Columbia who twice saved his unit from annihilation; and Americans William Jensen and Frederick Burns, Bronze Star decorated veterans for their heroic actions in Pusan. For three weeks, these men are put through an extensive training program outside of Seoul. The language barrier was broken, and briefing periods were intensified as the training reached its end.
On the dawn of October 10th, the U.N. Commando Force slipped quietly aboard waiting submarines at the Seoul Naval base to depart on their secret mission. In command is Major Charles Kirk, who kept his men physically fit and trained during the trip. Then, at midnight on October 16th, the men are loaded aboard life rafts and set towards shore. Upon landfall, they bury their rafts and hike three and a half miles along the banks of the Yalu River. Finally they reach their first destination, the Yalu bridge. The squad splits in two – one group heads up the embankment to keep the Chinese soldiers busy, while the other slip under the bridge and plant the TNT charges. However, the squad has underestimated the size of the enemy’s guard, and the team under the bridge is spotted and fired upon. All hell breaks loose around the bridge. The major orders a forward assault to protect those under the bridge from oncoming reinforcements. For even long minutes the slaughter continues before the major orders everyone to retreat back into the safety of the woods, now that the explosives team has completed their job. The bridge explodes, but the Force has no time to celebrate before the rest of the Chinese army arrives. Regrouping, the Commandos withdraw swiftly with the enemy in hot pursuit. They head towards a nearby stream, hoping to throw their pursuers off their tracks. They take cover on a ridge above the stream, and wait for the enemy soldiers to arrive. The Chinese soldiers believe the Commandos crossed the stream and head in the wrong direction away from the team. Now free from pursuit, it’s off to the second part of their mission, the mountain train tunnel.
It takes the Commando Force two days and nights to trek the eight miles towards the mountain, skirting Communist patrols along the way. The tunnel lies just ahead, unguarded, and the men think it’ll be a breeze to take it out. But when Major Kirk and his men advance closer, they can see the tunnel is full of enemy soldiers just waiting for them. Private Jensen spots with his binoculars an incoming ammo train heading towards the mountain tunnel. Private Kim Sung has an idea, and takes a bag of hand grenades and runs towards the entrance of the tunnel, against Major Kirk’s orders. As his startled buddies above watch, Private Sung carefully edges up to the entrance just as the train reaches the tunnel. He tosses the grenades onto the top of the train and runs away. The train enters and then explodes, the ammo igniting and destroying the entire tunnel and the enemy within. The remaining Chinese soldiers chase after Sung, and the Commandos once again regroup and retreat.
For three hours, the game of cat and mouse continues, until finally the Commandos lose their enemy. With the enemy angered by the assaults on their shipping lines, search parties were out everywhere making the Commandos return back to the sea extremely difficult. As the valiant Force detoured across the Pammanjo River fourteen hours later, Private Harte notices something rather odd about the logs floating down the river. The others take no notice, as they are in lumber country, but Harte takes a closer look. Harte tries to signal the others, but just then Chinese soldiers appear out of the woods and begin to fire upon him. Harte tells the men to ignore the enemy and fire onto the logs themselves. With each shot that hits, the logs explode in brilliant fire, revealing hollowed out logs containing hidden supplies within! Harte has cracked the mystery of how the Communists have been getting their supplies through the lines.
Nineteen hours later, the little bank of Commandos reach the rendezvous location at the sea, weary but happy. The men are excited for the furloughs they will get for a mission well done, but Major Kirk is proud of his men, soldiers from many different countries and walks of life, pulling together for the common cause of freedom.
Appearing in "Commando Assault"
Featured Characters:
- U.N. Commando Force
- Major Charles Kirk (Single appearance)
- Private Arkuim Tofiak (Single appearance)
- Private Taka Harsha (Single appearance)
- Private John Harte (Single appearance)
- Private Kim Sung (Single appearance)
- Private Franz Henried (Single appearance)
- Private Emanuel Perez (Single appearance)
- Private William Jensen (Single appearance)
- Private Frederick Burns (Single appearance)
Antagonists:
- Chinese Infantry soldiers
Other Characters:
- General Dodds (Single appearance)
- American Infantry general
- American Infantry captain
- American Infantry soldiers
- American Submarine commander
Locations:
- South Korea
- North Korea
- Panmunjon
Items:
- Inflatable life raft
- TNT
- Mk 2 grenades
Vehicles:
- American battlecruiser
- USS Oklahoma
- USS Missouri
- American submarine
- American Republic F-84 Thunderjet fighter
- Chinese supply truck (Destroyed)
- Chinese supply train (Destroyed)
Synopsis for "One Man Army"
On the 8th of October, elements of the U.S. 6th Division quietly led a mule train up a towering Korean mountain appropriately dubbed “Pike’s Peak” by the G.I.s. Three nights and two days later, the supply train reached its objective, a cave close to the top of the mountain. The captain orders a squad, led by Sergeant Al Smitty, to unload the ammo inside the cave and stand guard with his men. He explains that headquarters is planning an all-out offensive against the Chinese forces and the secret ammo dump on the mountain will come in handy when the shooting starts. Smitty agrees, telling the captain he’ll see him in a few days. The safety and security of the valuable depot now rest solely on the shoulders of Sgt. Smitty and his men from “K” Company.
The men take their places within the cave, kicking their feet up and relaxing. They know this guard assignment will be an easy one, and are thankful they don’t have to trek back down the mountain for a few days. Then, the screeching sound of a shell overhead and a nearby explosion catches them by surprise. The men of “K” Company are wounded, all except Sgt. Smitty, He drags his men back into the safety of the cave and contacts headquarters on the radio. The General on the line informs them that the Chinese Tenth is pulling a surprise assault, and Smitty’s men just happened to get caught in the middle. The General orders Smitty to blow the ammo dump and retreat, but Smitty talks him into allowing him to stay and care for his wounded men, even if it means holding off the entire Chinese army himself. The men think he is crazy, and tries to convince him to leave them behind. Smitty tells them to shut up, and then gets to work with a plan.
Later, as dawn is breaking, Smitty begins his one man patrol. He spots movement from lower down the mountain. He orders Pvt. Collins to fire a flare. As the flare lights up the area, he can see the column of enemy troops heading his way. A few explosives on the train send them running. Then, he gets word that a platoon of Chinese troops are heading up the north side. He rushes over. Having set up a row of machine guns along the ridge wired with a master trigger, he is able to keep them at bay. No time to rest, as Pvt. Winters tells him over the radio that a couple of enemy tanks are now moving towards the west slope. Once again, Smitty dashes across the mountain side where, on another ridge, he has a line of mortars waiting for him. Back and forth the sergeant streaks from mortar to mortar, destroying the bridge and cutting off the only route the tanks have to them. But one tank has made it through, and Smitty has nothing left but small arms to fight back. He retreats back into the cave with his mother men, to await their impending fate. Then, the sounds of rockets overhead! The rocket shoots past the cave, and targets the enemy tank, destroying it. As Smitty and the others peer out, they can see the sky full of G.I. paratroopers coming in for a landing. They’re saved, and the assault has turned in their favor.
Afterward, the men relax once again. As the G.I. army pulls up, the Captain is impressed by the one man army show that Smitty put on. Smitty doesn’t take all the credit, as he couldn’t have done it without the watchful eyes of his men. He decides to keep one of the detonator caps, as a good luck charm!
Appearing in "One Man Army"
Featured Characters:
- Sergeant Al Smitty (Single appearance)
Supporting Characters:
- Private Collins (Single appearance)
- Private Winters (Single appearance)
Antagonists:
- Chinese Infantry soldiers
Other Characters:
- American Infantry captain
- American Infantry soldiers
- American paratroopers
- General White (Single appearance)
Locations:
Items:
- Ammunition
- Dynamite
- Mortars
- Grenades
Vehicles:
- Chinese T-34-85 tanks
Synopsis for "A Medal for a Coward"
In the town of Medford, a group of inductees to the U.S. Army pause as they prepare to board the train for camp. With them is Rip Haile, well known in his parts as a hero of World War II for knocking out fifty-seven German tanks with a bazooka. Rip is seeing his younger brother Johnny off, who has just enlisted. Johnny swears that he’ll make his brother proud, and give the Commies “Haile’s Hell” just like Rip did years before. As Johnny takes his seat on the train heading towards Camp Hood, he begins to have doubts that he can live up to his brother’s expectations. But he’s determined to try.
Three days later, at the training center in Camp Hood, his name’s reputation spreads throughout the camp. Captain DeWitt, who was with Rip in World War II when he took out his 57th tank, is pleased to have another Haile in his company and assigns him to bazooka training. Three weeks later on the practice range, a very nervous Johnny takes hold of his bazooka and nervously aims for the target. He tries to remember everything Rip had told him – keep his sight on the target, aim for the treads, and keep a steady shoulder. He fires, and makes a perfect shot. Time after time he always hits his mark. The camp officers are extremely impressed, and feel that Johnny may even surpass his brother’s record.
Soon, the 137th Infantry Regiment is shipped out to Korea. The men are in high spirit, certain of a victory with Private Johnny Haile on their side. A month later, Johnny and his buddies are with the company, preparing for a frontal assault against the Communist enemy at Wonsan. The Red Army has dig in a half mile north of their position, and they have orders to attack and route them out of their hiding places. The bazooka team is to concentrate their fire on the enemy bunkers. Johnny moves up with his platoon. At 1430 hours they make contact with the enemy and take cover. Johnny circles around and takes aim at a nearby enemy bunker, just when a Red tank appears from behind them. Johnny swings his bazooka around, but finds that he can’t pull the trigger! His officers and buddies shout at him to fire, but he is frozen on the spot unable to. The tank is destroyed by another bazooka team. Johnny is frustrated at his unexplainable hesitation, but the others just write it off as first-time baptism of fire.
A day later, the 137th Infantry is moved deeper into enemy territory. The air is tense with sudden death. Private Johnny Haile thinks back on the events of yesterday and begins to worry. The major has informed the platoon that enemy tanks were spotted in the area and have to be taken out. The platoon moves forward, only to find the enemy in their path. The mountain brush parts and a Red tank exits, heading straight towards them. Every other bazooka team is taken out except for Johnny’s. The major screams at Johnny to fire. Johnny raises his bazooka, aims… and then is once again frozen with fear. The tank rumbles past them, as Johnny collapses onto the ground in rage and tears. Meanwhile, behind them, the enemy tanks have broken through and are pounding havoc on the rest of the regiment. The tanks are taken out by the artillery, but not without loss of life. Back in the hills, Johnny Haile has no words to explain his actions. The major orders him behind the lines, where it’s safer.
Johnny arrives at the supply depot to accept his new post, out of the line of action. The men around him can’t believe it, and Johnny has begun to believe he’s a coward with no courage. However, not long after his arrival, enemy shells begin to rain down onto the supply depot. The Communists have busted through the lines in a sneak attack with at least a dozen tanks… and they’re heading their way! Johnny freezes for a second, just as a shell lands next to him and knocks him off his feet. Dazed but unharmed, Johnny rises up and then begins to dash through the exploding grounds towards the weapons shed. Wild-eyed and screaming, Johnny Haile takes a bazooka and begins a one-man attack on the enemy tanks. Loading and reloading, Johnny’s bazooka spits flaming fire into the Red tank attack. Two, three, five tanks go down as Johnny blasts them one by one. The men around him are flabbergasted as they watch the steaming mad Johnny take out the enemy single-handed.
Afterward, all have gathered around the hero of the day, Private Johnny Haile. The others can’t believe what just happened, but the major knows. The major tells him that the shell that hit him must have knocked out the memory of his hero brother, a self-imposed mental block causing him to doubt his abilities. Beaming with pride, Johnny can’t wait to tell his brother what happened!
Appearing in "A Medal for a Coward"
Featured Characters:
- Private Johnny Haile (Single appearance)
Antagonists:
- North Korean Artillery soldiers
Other Characters:
- Rip Haile (Single appearance)
- Captain Eddie DeWitt (Single appearance)
- Private Evans (Single appearance)
- Private Fuller (Single appearance)
- Private Givens (Single appearance)
- Private Burns (Single appearance)
- American Infantry major
- American Infantry sergeant
- American Infantry soldiers
Locations:
- United States of America
- Medford
- North Korea
- Wonsan
Items:
- M20 bazooka
Vehicles:
- Passenger train
- North Korean T-34-85 tanks (Destroyed)
Synopsis for "Ambush"
In Korea, an American recon patrol completes their mission and prepares to return to base. The Captain of the patrol orders his sergeant to get the men turned around and heading back fast. A few of his men arrive, holding a strange prisoner at gunpoint. They tell the Captain that they found him sneaking along the road alone. The prisoner, wearing the uniform of a Communist soldier, speaks in broken English and tells the Captain that he escaped and is a “United States of America Joe”. The Captain thinks he may be Russian, and orders his men to disarm him of the knife he is carrying. The prisoner once again pleads to them, saying “from Philadelphia. Been in prison camp three months”. It’s possible, from the type of moustache the man is wearing, he could be from a Turkish battalion, but the Captain isn’t so sure and orders his men to keep him under guard. They’ll take him back to regiment for questioning.
As the patrol starts rolling towards the American lines, they are attacked by Chinese artillery. Their vehicles are hit, but the patrol continues ahead. The Reds have another surprise awaiting them, tanks on the road blocking their path. The Captain orders his sergeant to take the convoy off the road towards the hill. Once there, he orders his remaining men to deploy the bazookas before the tanks can reach firing range. One tank is taken out with the first shot, but it is backed by the Chinese ground infantry rushing up the hill towards their position. The men bring out the machine guns and hold the enemy off. The strange prisoner pleads with the Captain to give him a gun, but the Captain is reluctant to give a weapon to him. After a fierce fight, the patrol drives the Reds back. But they know they are surrounded and outnumbered, and await the enemy’s next move. With a few minutes to breathe, the Captain realizes that their prisoner is nowhere to be seen. The Captain now is worried that the man may make for the Reds’ line, and tell them that the patrol is almost out of ammunition.
The Captain is right. The prisoner has made for the enemy lines, using the cover of darkness to hide his movements. He spots his first Chinese soldier, but instead he plunges a knife into the soldier’s chest, killing him. He makes for the Chinese camp, killing the guards along the way. Inside one of the tents, the man discovers the general in command of the Chinese force and, before he can be fired upon, takes the officer prisoner. The American patrol is surprised when the mysterious man returns back to their line holding the Chinese general at knifepoint. The Captain orders his men to take possession of the general, the hostage they needed to make it back to their own lines safely.
The next day, the patrol, long since given up for lost by the rest of the Army, arrives at their lines with a large force of Chinese prisoners in tow. The Captain introduces his colonel to the man who made it possible, their mysterious unknown man found on the roadside. The man tells the colonel “Me from B Company. You checka please, colonel”. The Colonel orders one of his men to drive down to “b” Company and bring back their officer, Captain Heyworth. Shortly thereafter, the jeep returns and Captain Heyworth informs the Colonel that the man’s name is Giuseppe Ricco. He had been captured by enemy troops three months ago, just days before his citizenship papers came through. The man was a big circus star from Italy, a world-famous knife thrower, and had enlisted just days after arriving for the first time in New York. Private Ricco always insists on carrying knives with him, and now the Captain knows just how he managed to take down the entire Chinese force and capture their general.
Appearing in "Ambush"
Featured Characters:
- Private Giuseppe Ricco (Single appearance)
Supporting Characters:
- American Infantry captain
- American Infantry sergeant
Antagonists:
- Chinese Infantry general
- Chinese Infantry soldiers
Other Characters:
- Captain Heyworth (Single appearance)
- American Infantry colonel
Locations:
Items:
- M20 bazooka
- Throwing knives
Vehicles:
- American Willys M38 Jeep
- American M3 Halftrack Personnel carrier
- North Korean T-34-85 tanks
Notes
- Published by Quality Comics.
- Stories 2 and 3 are reprinted in issue #43.
- Also contains, between stories 3 and 4, the 1-page text story "Escape at Dawn". A special agent, Linc Johnson, has been given the mission to retrieve his friend and fellow newspaperman Martin Rhodes, from a Communist country’s prison after being suspected of working with the Underground. But getting back across the lines may prove to be more difficult than originally had been anticipated. Reprinted later in Blackhawk #101 (June 1956) and Yanks in Battle #4 (December 1956).
See Also
Recommended Reading
- World War II Recommended Reading
- Adventures in the Rifle Brigade (Volume 1)
- Adventures in the Rifle Brigade (Volume 2)
- All-American Men of War (Volume 1)
- All-Out War (Volume 1)
- Blackhawk (Volume 1)
- Blitzkrieg (Volume 1)
- Capt. Storm (Volume 1)
- Four-Star Battle Tales (Volume 1)
- G.I. Combat (Volume 1)
- Men of War (Volume 1)
- Military Comics (Volume 1)
- Our Army at War (Volume 1)
- Our Fighting Forces (Volume 1)
- Sgt. Rock (Volume 1)
- Sgt. Rock (Volume 2)
- Star-Spangled War Stories (Volume 1)
- Unknown Soldier (Volume 1)
- Weird War Tales (Volume 1)