BETTY COREY
Real Name: Betty Corey
Identity/Class: Human (Post-World War II Era)
Occupation: Unrevealed
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Colonel Corey, Dudley Corey, Percival P. Pennington, Sgt. Pulaski
Enemies: Communist guerrillas
Known Relatives: Colonel Corey (father), Dudley Corey (brother), unidentified mother
Aliases: "Freckles"
Base of Operations: Temporarily housed in Korea during the Korean War
First Appearance: Combat Casey I#16 (June, 1954)
Powers/Abilities: Betty had no unusual abilities.
Height: Unrevealed (approximately 5'8")
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 126 lbs.)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Red
History:
(Combat Casey I#16/3 (fb) - BTS) - In her hometown, Betty was friends
with Percival "Penny" Pennington. She nicknamed him "Stinky" and he
dubbed her "Freckles." "Penny" once played a Halloween prank on her
father by putting glue on his shoes.
(Combat Casey I#16/3) - During the Korean War, Betty accompanied her father Colonel Corey overseas to the camp where he was stationed. Colonel Corey ordered Sgt. Pulaski to ensure no one bothered his daughter but she was surprised to learn she was on the same base as her old friend "Penny" and embraced him with a kiss -- earning Sgt. Pulaski's ire. When "Penny" heard Colonel Smith was on the base, he decided to keep his distance from Betty, afraid that her father might remember his old Halloween prank.
Sgt. Pulaski took charge of giving Betty a tour around the area, although Betty insisted she would prefer to see "Penny." Communist guerrillas suddenly ambushed them and took them prisoner, intending to use Betty as ransom against her father. "Penny" saw the guerrillas leading them away and, although he had no weapons, he built a slingshot which made an irate donkey kick one of the guerrillas then used a powder puff from Betty's purse to blind the other guerrilla before punching him. As thanks for saving her, Betty insisted that Sgt. Pulaski give her and "Penny" some privacy as they kissed underneath the moon.
(Combat Casey I#17/3) - Betty went to see "Penny" in the base kitchen, thinking he was avoiding her. "Penny" revealed he'd been placed on all kinds of different details by Sgt. Pulaski in an effort to keep him from seeing her. Betty offered to help "Penny" peel some potatoes but they were interrupted by Pulaski, who burst in after being tormented by Betty's little brother Dudley. Pulaski decided that from then on, while he was looking after Betty, it would be "Penny"'s job to look after Dudley. Eventually, Dudley helped capture a band of guerrillas but let "Penny" take all of the credit. Colonel Corey rewarded "Penny" by letting him escort Betty to a dance while Sgt. Pulaski was left to babysit Dudley.
Comments: Created by Hank Chapman and Robert Q. Sale.
I have a feeling Betty was supposed to appear in the "Penny" stories found in Combat Casey I#20/3 and 21/3 but the scripter instead named the woman in those stories as Lucy Smith, who, like Betty, was a romantic interest of both "Penny" and Sgt. Pulaski and daughter of an officer (Colonel Smith in this instance). That Lucy was given no introduction in Combat Casey I#20 supports my hypothesis.
Betty's hair was red in her first appearance, blonde in the other (Lucy Smith was also blonde).
Profile by Prime Eternal.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Betty Corey should not be confused with:
Colonel Corey was the father of Betty and Dudley Corey. He was an officer in the U.S. Army and Sgt. Pulaski and Pvt. Percival P."Penny" Pennington both fell under his command. He knew "Penny" in civilian life and in one incident, "Penny" had poured glue on his shoes as a Halloween prank. Colonel Corey was very protective of his children, ordering Sgt. Pulaski to guard Betty from other men. He also refused to have his ill-behaved son Dudley disciplined, ordering "Penny" not to lay a hand on him. When Dudley helped capture a band of guerrillas but gave all the credit to "Penny," Colonel Corey rewarded "Penny" by letting him escort Betty to a dance.
--Combat Casey I#16/3 (17/3
Dudley was Betty's younger brother. He loved to play practical jokes on grown-ups. His poor behavior was partially due to his father's indulgent behavior towards him. After tormenting Sgt. Pulaski with his pranks, Dudley was placed in the charge of "Penny" Pennington. "Penny" attempted to discipline him but Colonel Corey ordered "Penny" not to lay a hand on his son. One day, Dudley accompanied" Penny" in his jeep when they were beset by a band of Communist guerrillas. Dudley unleashed all of his pranks against the guerrillas and commandeered the jeep to drive over some of them. When Colonel Corey asked who was responsible for capturing the guerrillas, Dudley let" Penny" take all the credit. Colonel Corey congratulated "Penny" by letting him escort Betty to a dance while Sgt. Pulaski was told to babysit Dudley. Dudley wasted little time tormenting him, placing a lit explosive in Pulaski's rear pants pocket.
--Combat Casey I#17/3
images: (without ads)
Combat Casey I#16/3, page 1, panel 1 (Betty, main)
Combat Casey I#16/3, page 2, panel 4 (Betty, face)
Combat Casey I#16/3, page 2, panel 5 (Colonel Corey)
Combat Casey I#17/3, page 2, panel 3 (Dudley)
Appearances:
Combat Casey I#16/3 (June, 1954) - unidentified writer, Mort Lawrence (artist), Stan Lee (editor)
Combat Casey I#17/3 (August, 1954) - unidentified writer, Bill Savage (artist), Stan Lee (editor)
First posted: 07/08/2025
Last updated:
07/08/2025
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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