True Comics #19

In this 1942 true-life account, follow Lt. General Dwight "Ike" Eisenhower's rise from a scrappy kid in Kansas to commander of the American Expeditionary Forces, as he prepares to lead American troops against Nazi Germany. From his mischievous youth through West Point, military service, and command training, discover how Eisenhower's determination and strategic mind shaped him into the leader the Allied cause demands. Now watch as General "Ike" readies his forces in England and stands ready to bring the fight to the enemy.

Explorer Victor von Hagen sets out to accomplish what no one has managed in four centuries—capture the legendary quetzal bird alive—embarking on a dangerous expedition into the cloud forests of Honduras with his wife Christine. Battling jungle terrain, native superstitions about a mythical creature, and the bird's own elusiveness, the Von Hagens pursue a bold plan to find nesting birds and raise the fledglings themselves. This true account chronicles their months-long struggle against the elements and their remarkable journey to bring these sacred, impossibly beautiful birds back to civilization.

Helen Summers of Brooklyn volunteers for foreign duty as an Army nurse and ships out to the Philippines, where she tends to wounded soldiers in Manila and later at the fortress of Bataan amid relentless Japanese bombings and dwindling supplies. This true account follows her courage and dedication as she and her fellow nurses work around the clock under fire, moving from one desperate position to another as the situation grows increasingly dire. A stirring tribute to the real women who served as frontline medical personnel during one of the war's darkest chapters in the Pacific.

In 1863, during the American Civil War, Commander David S. McDougall and the crew of the U.S.S. Wyoming find themselves under fire from Japanese batteries and vessels off the coast of Japan while searching for a Confederate ship. McDougall navigates a daring battle through shallow waters and enemy fire, engaging Japanese sailing craft, a steamer, and coastal batteries in a bold tactical maneuver. The story captures a remarkable naval clash nearly eighty years before America's larger conflict with Japan would erupt.

Famous football coaches who built championship teams—Lieutenant Commander Sam Barry of USC, Lieutenant Commander Jim Crowley of Fordham, and Major Bernie Bierman of Minnesota—have turned their proven training methods toward a new mission: preparing soldiers, sailors, and marines for service in World War II. Their system of building athletes who think and act quickly is now shaping the next generation of fighting men into a tough, disciplined force for Uncle Sam.

A young reader learns from Uncle Sam that heroism takes many forms in wartime—from the flyers like General Doolittle who pilot the planes, to the designers and factory workers who build them, to the everyday citizens who support the war effort by purchasing bonds and stamps. Through conversations with aircraft designers and assembly line workers, the boy discovers that everyone, including young people like himself, can contribute to winning the war and protecting America's future. By the story's end, he's inspired to rally his friends to do their part in the great effort ahead.

Encircled by Nazi forces during brutal fighting in Russia, General Galitsky and his unit transform into guerrillas, scrounging supplies, laying traps, and using cunning to survive behind enemy lines—all while waiting for reinforcements to break through. Over three weeks of constant danger and ingenuity, this determined band wages a relentless campaign of sabotage and ambush, knowing that their only way out is to fight hard enough to earn rescue by their own army.

When 12-year-old Jerry Young of Omaha, Nebraska, needed a star attraction for his Red Cross fundraiser, he had just seventy cents and a bold idea—to ask Bud Abbott and Lou Costello themselves. The comedy duo, in town that week, were so moved by the cause that they agreed to perform, turning Jerry's backyard show into a packed house that raised over $272 for the Red Cross.

Dr. Edward Trudeau of Saranac dedicates himself to defeating tuberculosis after his own battle with the disease sends him to the Adirondack Mountains for recovery. Convinced that fresh air and sunlight hold the cure, he establishes a sanatorium and conducts groundbreaking experiments that prove his theory, transforming treatment for what was once called the "White Plague." His work and vision ultimately save countless lives across decades to come.

Pilot Officer Robillard of the Royal Canadian Air Force discovers the shared bonds between liberty-loving peoples when his fighter is shot down over Nazi-occupied France. After parachuting into enemy territory, he finds unexpected allies among the French resistance and must navigate a perilous escape while evading the Gestapo. A true story of courage that spans from his initial struggle to meet weight requirements as a young recruit to becoming one of the R.C.A.F.'s decorated aces.