G.I. Joe #17

Preston Benedict is just the company clerk, content to stamp papers while his buddies fight—until the men discover a letter from a young son who believes his father is a war hero, forcing them to grapple with the gap between the boy's pride and the truth. When a photograph gives them a chance to bridge that distance, they set in motion a reunion neither Benny nor his son ever thought possible. This heartfelt tale shows how even the smallest acts of kindness can rewrite a soldier's story.

Pvt. Ryan—a self-proclaimed pitching phenom who can't stop talking about his glory days in baseball—finally gets a chance to prove his boasts when enemy forces attack his Army outfit in Korea. With Cpl. Fogarty, his former catcher, watching from the sidelines, Ryan must put up or shut up in a firefight that demands real skill, not just hot air. Written by the Creators listed for this story, "The High, Hard One" shows what separates the braggarts from the soldiers who deliver when it counts.

When Pvt. Weepy Hoolihan stumbles into a hidden underground temple in the Kesong region, the locals mistake him for their sacred lama—and before long, his buddy Pvt. Meatball Eckersall has the same problem. What starts as a cushy gig complete with dancing girls and reverent treatment turns complicated when enemy forces reveal themselves in the temple, forcing both soldiers to figure out how to survive their case of mistaken identity.

Pvt. Joe Burch is determined to earn his stripes and advance in the Army, much to the skepticism of his buddy Sgt. Mulvaney—but when Joe is called upon to hold a farmhouse against enemy attack, his bravery under fire catches the attention of his commanding officers. As Joe discovers, though, getting ahead in the military comes with its own price, and even the greatest moments of valor don't always lead where a soldier expects.

Pvt. Paddy McGarry is a born storyteller whose tall tales keep Baker Company entertained—much to the skepticism of Sgt. Mulvaney, who doubts every word the Irish gunner speaks. On his last night before furlough, McGarry spins an outrageous yarn about a brawl at a waterfront bar, but the celebration is cut short when enemy mortars rain down on the company's position. As the soldiers scramble to meet the incoming attack, McGarry's furlough plans face an unexpected turn.

A combat correspondent embarks on reconnaissance missions and patrols to witness the action firsthand and bring accurate accounts of invasion operations back home, all while facing the constant peril and grueling conditions that come with being an unarmed observer in the thick of fighting. This story showcases the dangerous work of war correspondents who risk their lives to document the experiences of soldiers—often lending aid to medics and writing copy under the most miserable circumstances. Their mission: to ensure the folks back home understand the true cost and courage of their boys in combat.