PAUL HAMMOND

Real Name: Paul Hammond

Identity/Class: Human (post-World War II era)

Occupation: Soldier

Group Membership: U.S. Army

Affiliations: General Edward Almond, Sgt. Hank Blayne, Major Kenneth Dwyer, Sam Erwin, Bill Leahy, Happy Manizone, Mel Stewart, Mel Thompson, Tim, General Walton Walker

Enemies: North Korean and Chinese armies

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Mobile in Korea during the Korean War

First Appearance: Battlefront I#1 (June, 1952)

Powers/Abilities: Paul Hammond was an experienced soldier who usually wielded a rifle. He also operated a bazooka.

Height: Unrevealed (approximately 5'11")
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 165 lbs.)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown

History:
(Battlefront I#1) - Paul Hammond was a U.S. Army soldier who went to fight in Korea. Prior to a major assault on North Korea on September 26, 1950, Paul spoke with his friend Happy Manizone, who noted how quiet and wound-up Paul was. Paul viewed their enemies as "a bunch of yokels" and wondered why the Army had been having so much trouble fighting them, thinking it would be easy due to their superior firepower. As they started to advance on foot, they were nearly hit by their own artillery shells, as they had misjudged their targeting.

    By October 6, 1950, Paul's company was still on the front line and were struggling to keep warm as winter began. While on guard duty one evening, Paul killed two enemy soldiers; the first he had ever killed. Happy believed Paul had proved his earlier predictions about easy fighting.

(Battlefront I#1/2) - By October 28, 1950, the company had seen more action and engaged in a winter battle against enemy tanks. Paul wielded a bazooka to destroy one tank and remained confident they could triumph over the enemy. The squad moved towards the Yalu River and Paul continued to believe the war could be over by Christmas. That night, Paul's comrade Tim died from the cold while writing a letter.

(Battlefront I#1/3) - By December, Paul's company still had not crossed the Yalu River. Paul had become less optimistic about the war, focusing on staying alive rather than predicting the war's end. He witnessed his friend Happy's death during a firefight. The fighting became more intense as the enemy forces cut off their retreats, divided their lines and performed hit-and-run ambushes. By New Year's, the company was cut off from Pyongyang and ordered to retreat back to their lines. Major Dwyer manned a heavy machine gun on his own to give Paul and the others a chance to retreat. Dwyer was killed by enemy grenades. Retreating to another outfit near Kaesong, Paul asked a lieutenant why they were having so much trouble against the Communists. The lieutenant suggested it was because people like him hadn't taken the conflict seriously enough.

(Battlefront I#1/4) - As part of General Walton Walker's Eighth Army, Paul continued the Army's retreat to the south. From Paul's original squad, only himself, Sgt. Blayne, Mel Stewart and Sam Erwin remained. Paul remembered how he used to have "ideas" about the war but those thoughts were far from him, as he was now growing pessimistic, thinking they were waiting to die. Passing through a town, Paul saw a South Korean child in front of a tank. Paul tried to help the child but the boy was afraid of Paul and ran away from him. This brought Paul's morale down even further.

    Finally, the U.S. Army stopped retreating and went back on the offensive, launching "Operation Killer." As a vast amount of artillery was fired at the Communists, Paul found the same South Korean child he'd met before, crying because of all the noise. Paul brought the child into his squad's camp and cared for him through the night. In the morning, Paul's squad was called to advance and Paul realized he'd have to leave the child behind. Although he knew the boy couldn't understand English, he hoped the boy understood they had come to help people like him and that they wouldn't be forgotten.

Comments: Created by Don Rico and Jerry Robinson.

    Battlefront was different from other Atlas war comics for its first several issues because it told book-length stories instead of a potpourri of different stories. Thus, Paul has a much meatier story than most one-time war comics characters.

    Paul's surname was spelled inconsistently but the first time (and most times), it's "Hammond."

    This profile was completed on 11/21/2025 but its publication was delayed, as it was intended for the Appendix's 25th anniversary celebratory event.

Profile by Prime Eternal.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Paul Hammond should not be confused with:

Sgt. Hank Blayne

Sgt. Hank Blayne was a member of Paul Hammond's squad. He had been a schoolteacher prior to the Korean War. Blayne was one of few members of Hammond's squad to survive their retreat to the south.






--Battlefront I#1

Major Kenneth Dwyer

Major Kenneth Dwyer was the leader of Paul Hammond's company. The men of the company considered him a great leader. Dwyer's radio call sign was "Charley Tom-Tom." Dwyer died on New Year's while manning a heavy machine gun while his men retreated.






--Battlefront I#1d

Sam Erwin

Sam Erwin was a member of Paul Hammond's squad and one of the only survivors from their retreat to the south.

--Battlefront I#1 - BTS

"Happy" Manizone

"Happy" Manizone had been friends with Paul Hammond since they were in training. People called him "Happy" because he always laughed, especially when he was nervous. By December, 1950, Happy was fighting alongside Paul at Yalu River when he was shot several times by enemy gunfire. Happy died with a smile on his face.






--Battlefront I#1d

Mel Stewart

Mel Stewart was a member of Paul Hammond's squad and one of the only survivors from their retreat to the south.

--Battlefront I#1/4 - BTS

Mel Thompson

Mel Thompson was a radio announcer based in Tokyo, Japan who relayed information about the Korean War back to audiences in the USA.






--Battlefront I#1

Tim

Tim was a member of Paul Hammond's squad. Tim's older brother Harry had fought in World War II. When their squad were nearly hit by friendly artillery, Tim became very upset. Later, Tim composed a letter to his brother about the men he was fighting alongside but died mid-sentence as he was overcome by the cold weather.






--Battlefront I#1d

images: (without ads)
Battlefront I#1/4, page 1, panel 1 (Paul, main)
Battlefront I#1/2, page 1, panel 5 (Paul, face)
Battlefront I#1/2, page 1, panel 3 (Hank)
Battlefront I#1/2, page 1, panel 2 (Kenneth)
Battlefront I#1/2, page 1, panel 4 (Happy)
Battlefront I#1/1, page 1, panel 2 (Thompson)
Battlefront I#1/1, page 4, panel 1 (Tim)

Appearances:
Battlefront I#1 (June, 1952) - Don Rico (writer), Jerry Robinson (artist), Stan Lee (editor)

First posted: 09/20/2026
Last updated: 11/21/2025

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
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