Maj. General Sheridan should've moved right in and put up his flag.

There's your history lesson for today! Not that Sheridan was unproblematic either, probably, but...anyway, I bought a bunch of ratty old war comics out of the quarter bin, but I don't blog them all at once. Partially because I can only take a little Haunted Tank at a time. From 1979, G.I. Combat #216, "Ghost Squadron" Created and written by Robert Kanigher, art by Sam Glanzman.

The crew of the Haunted Tank is extra gung-ho to kill some Nazis today, because they're competing with another tank for a 10-day leave in Paris. (I was momentarily; they're human beings, not a punch-card for a vacation; but eh, they're Nazis, punch them.) The ghost of General Stuart warns Jeb they weren't going to score there; and they shortly get another assignment: decoy duty. With Panzers coming in, the Haunted Tank is given the job of trying to fool them into thinking there was a whole squadron out there, by running around and being seen and broadcasting on open channels. The crew figures they're pretty dead, even picking up a priest next: the Nazis had shelled his monastery, and he was the only survivor. 

After the Tank is first spotted, Jeb takes down the Confederate banner (yay!) because he knew the enemy would recognize them as the same tank with it. A surprisingly sensitive General Stuart leaves in a huff; and shortly thereafter, the 'priest' is revealed as an SS infiltrator! Wearing his full uniform under his...frock? Habit? Cincture? The Ratzi bastard radios and blows their cover, then goes to turn the crew over at gunpoint, but another double-cross! Jeb had shot him, and wore his...cloak? Mantle? Tunic? to gun down the Panzer crews. Their boss is a little mad about disobeying orders, but they did blow up four tanks, so...As the Tank heads to Paris, they are re-Haunted by the returning General Stuart: "Generals love a winner, Jeb!" Fickle bastard...

I liked the next story more, "The Shell That Won the War!" (Written by Jan Laurie, art by George Evans.) A bored assembly plant worker is told her work is important, but doesn't seem to believe it. While the war rages on, she scrawls "Hitler--drop dead!" on a shell, that eventually makes it all the way to--just outside Berlin? While Hitler rants that he's invincible, Eisenhower gives the counter-intuitive order to cease fire: for political reasons, the Russians were going to capture Berlin, and all other forces should hold positions. But, one surly--and probably deafened--artillery man decides he didn't come all that way not to bomb something, and fires the fateful shell. It explodes near the Brandenburg Gate, rattling a certain bunker, and convincing Hitler the end was near, inspiring his suicide. Ah, you love to see it.

More of this issue later!