Wednesday, August 10, 2016

G.I. Combat #150

G.I. Combat #150 (On Sale: August 10, 1971), has a Haunted Tank cover by Joe Kubert.

We begin with "The Death of the Haunted Tank" by Robert Kanigher and Russ Heath. Reprinted in G.I. Combat #169 (1974) and Showcase Presents: Haunted Tank Vol. 2 TPB (2008).

Next up is "The Two-Legged Mine" by Bob Haney and Russ Heath and reprinted from All American Men of War #66 (1959).

That brings us to the U.S.S. Stevens in "Hip Shot" by Sam Glanzman. "Wild Bill" Rogers, a simple deck-hand, jumps into action firing a spread of torpedoes that saves the U.S.S. Stevens from a Japanese warship.Reprinted in U.S.S. Stevens: The Collected Stories (2016).

We end with Sgt. Rock in "Ice Cream Soldier" by Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert and reprinted from Our Army at War #85 (1959). Phil Mason, a new replacement, joins Easy Company. Phil is just a kid and has no combat experience. When he melts under pressure, the other members of Easy name him the Ice Cream Soldier.

Easy falls under fire. Phil freezes up forcing Sgt. Rock to protect him. Rock is wounded by enemy fire. Phil blames himself for the incident. The rest of Easy continues to tease Phil, calling him Ice Cream Soldier.

Rock reassigns Phil to be the bazookaman's assistant. When tanks attack Easy during a snowstorm, Phil is cut off from the others. Despite a severe case of frostbite, Phil takes out the tanks with the bazooka. Phil survives the experience, keeping the Ice Cream Soldier nickname.

Edited by Joe Kubert.

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