Combat Kelly #32 — Nick Peron

Aug 31

Aug 31 Combat Kelly #32

The War Crime of Captain Chu!

Combat Kelly and Cookie Novak assist Major Thorn and his troops in clearing out Chinese soldiers in the Korean town of Mukyong, Combat and Cookie personally clearing out a holy temple of enemy soldiers. The people of the town thank the Americans for liberating them, however the celebrations soon turn from joy to sorrow when the Koreans realize that the enemy soldiers have stolen their sacred golden Buddha statue. Because the Koreans offer food to the Budda as an offering, the Chinese exploit them to come out and leave food and drink that they can use to keep them covered long enough for reinforcements to arrive.

Combat and Cookie come up with an idea to stop this exploitation: Disguising themselves as Korean peasants they bring drugged tea to the Chinese and when they drink it they pass out. The pair then try to leave with the statue, but the rest of the soldiers ambush them. Backing away, Combat and Cookie watch in awe as the statue suddenly -- and seemingly under its own power -- topples on the Chinese soldiers knocking them out, allowing Combat and Cookie to flee with the statue.

The Korean people thank them, and when they ask that they don't talk about their sacrifice the Koreans agree, but build a statue in their honor.

Recurring Characters

Combat Kelly
Cookie Novak
Major Thorn
Sargent O’Hooligan

Death in the Desert!

April 7, 1943, Combat Kelly and Cookie Novak are part of the America II Corps battling Erwin Rommel's Afrika Corps in the deserts of Africa. During the conflict the Germans unleash their Tiger tanks but they are quickly repelled by American bombers.

Learning of this Erwin Rommel comes up with a clever plan to avoid the American bombers. During the next tank attack, Combat and the others are shocked to find that the tanks vanish without a trace before the bombers can arrive to blast them. Following the tracks, Combat and Cookie are shocked to see that the Germans have built an undergroudn bunker to hide their tanks when the bombers arrive. Caught by Rommel himself, he tries to capture the pair but Combat and Cookie make a run for it. Unknown to Rommel, Combat is leading him on a path that writes out a message to the bombers and puts a bullseye on the area where the bunker is hidden. When the American bombers see it they blow up the bunker.

Seeing this, Rommel quickly flees the scene and Combat decides to let him go free, leaving Cookie to wonder how Combat was able to alert the bombers.