Is it traditional in France to refer to your troops as "mes enfants"?

It's used twice this issue! But, this one's got a few twists, even from the usual twisty formula. From 1980, Unknown Soldier #240, "The Hammer of Glory!" Written by Bob Haney, pencils by Dick Ayers, inks by Gerry Talaoc. Cover by Don Heck!

This opens with the Unknown Soldier witnessing an execution; as the Scarf, head of the French resistance, has a man shot for selling "the Hammer of Martel" to the Nazis. So far I'm not sure if that was a legitimate historical relic, but Charles Martel was real: he had ruled the Franks from 718 until he died, and had been a fierce warrior. Which makes me wonder, why they think they found it on a battlefield: that's usually be only if he lost, right? Still, the Scarf seems to place a lot of importance on the Hammer being returned if the French are ever going to drive off the Germans; and the Soldier is forced to go along. They get a clue, when Nazis are looting a shop, for supplies for "Goering the fat glutton" to enjoy on a trip to Berlin, to deliver the Hammer to Hitler himself. (I thought they meant Hermann Goring, but no.)

The war had been going for some time by this point, so the Nazis have a lot of elaborate counters to the Resistance's surprise attacks: a hidden "ram engine" to bulldoze blocked train tracks, then a similarly hidden tugboat to rescue their train after it's forced onto a floating bridge. The Scarf is injured, and the Unknown Soldier decides he's going to have to do this one himself before the entire French Resistance is chewed to pieces. But his usual disguises come up short, twice! First, he tries to pass himself off as Goering's cook, but brings the wrong wine; then he tries to infiltrate masked as a local hunter, but is caught since he shot a boar instead of using an arrow.

The captured Soldier gets delivered to Hitler, with the Hammer, but is saved by the sudden and unexpected arrival of--Charles Martel? No, it's the Scarf in disguise: it's surprising for someone else to mask up to save the Unknown Solider, that was his gimmick! Sadly, the pair don't make a run at Hitler, but the Scarf does get a pretty good kill with a hammer throw.

Also this issue: a dedicated subscription ad for Weird War Tales; and another for Unknown Soldier, G.I. Combat, and Sgt. Rock!