SGT. RAS HESTA
Real Name: Ras Hesta
Identity/Class: Human (World
War II era to post-World
War II era) (Ethiopian)
Occupation: Soldier
Group Membership: Kagnew Battalion of the Imperial Ethiopian Expeditionary Force
Affiliations: Corporal "Peanuts" Brock
Enemies: Italian army, North Korean and Chinese armies
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Mobile in Korea during the
Korean War;
formerly Ethiopia
First Appearance: War Comics I#23 (January, 1954)
Powers/Abilities: Ras Hesta was an experienced combatant trained in judo. He carried a rifle, bayonet and machete.
Height: Unrevealed
(approximately 6'0")
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 185 lbs.)
Eyes: Black
Hair: Black
History:
(War Comics I#23 (fb) - BTS) - In 1935, when Benito Mussolini ordered
the Italian army to invade Ethiopia, Ras Hesta joined the Kagnew
Battalion to defend his country. Like all soldiers of the Kagnew
Battalion, he took an oath that he would never disgrace his country.
(War Comics I#23) - Sgt. Ras Hesta was one of many soldiers who served in the Kagnew Battalion during the Korean War. Working alongside Corporal "Peanuts" Brock, Hesta and his men set a trap for Communist soldiers by leaving their rifles in a clearing. When the Communists stopped to pick them up, Brock, Hesta and other Ethiopian soldiers burst out of the brush and used their knives and fists to quickly subdue the Communists. When one of the Communists drew a grenade, Hesta threw his knife at the Communist's hand, pinning him to a tree before he could finish throwing the grenade; the grenade fell at the soldier's feet, killing him and all but one of the other enemy soldiers.
As Hesta rounded up the last surviving soldier to bring back to their base, Brock observed how risky their trap had been. Hesta insisted it had been very effective, as he'd been in Korea for 21 months and had never lost a fight or a battle, and none of his men had been taken prisoner or gone missing in action.
Hesta and Brock delivered the prisoner to their superiors but after some fruitless interrogations, the prisoner stole a bayonet and tried to kill one of the officers. Hesta shot the prisoner in the leg but the prisoner used the bayonet to kill himself.
The next day, Brock joined Hesta and his men on another patrol to obtain prisoners, hoping for more intelligence on the impending Communist attack. This time, Hesta and Brock surrendered to the Communists, shocking his men. Some of the men of the Kagnew Battalion tried to shoot Hesta before he could be captured but they failed to hit him. Hesta and Brock had actually surrendered so they would be taken to a Communist base and could seek the intelligence their forces needed. The two men were imprisoned in a shack but dug their way through the ground, discovering an underground tunnel filled with ammunition.
Communist soldiers were alerted to their presence in the tunnel but they were reluctant to shoot at them, fearing it might set off the ammunition. Hesta chose to sacrifice his life; having covered his uniform with gasoline, he ran through a campfire that turned him into a living torch. As he ran directly at the ammunition dump, the Communists realized his intent and one of them shot him. Hesta died but with his last strength reached the ammunition. The flames on his body set off the supplies, blowing up the entire tunnel.
Brock returned to the Kagnew Battalion with a note Hesta had given him in which he explained why they had surrendered. This redeemed the good name of Sgt. Ras Hesta.
Comments: Created by an unidentified writer and Joe Maneely.
"Ras" is a royal title used in Ethiopia, indicating that Hesta came from nobility.
The real-life Kagnew Battalion really did serve alongside the 7th Infantry Division during the Korean War.
This profile was completed on 09/11/2025 but its publication was delayed, as it was intended for the Appendix's 25th anniversary celebratory event.
Profile by Prime Eternal.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Ras Hesta should not be confused with:
Corporal "Peanuts" Brock was a soldier with the 7th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army who was assigned to work alongside the Kagnew Battalion from Ethiopia. He befriended Ras Hesta and joined him on patrols against Communist forces. Hesta and Brock surrendered to the Communists in order to learn more about the enemies' plans. Discovering a massive underground tunnel full of ammunition, Hesta sacrificed his life to destroy it. Brock was badly wounded but returned to Kagnew Battalion carrying a note from Hesta that explained why they had surrendered. Hesta's superior officer told Brock that if he had been Ethiopian he would draft him into the Kagnew Battalion.
--War Comics I#23
images: (without ads)
War Comics I#23, page 4, panel 3 (Hesta, main)
War Comics I#23, page 3, panel 4 (Hesta, face)
War Comics I#23, page 2, panel 2 (Peanuts)
Appearances:
War Comics I#23 (January, 1954) - unidentified writer, Joe Maneely
(artist), Stan Lee (editor)
First posted: 09/20/2026
Last updated:
09/11/2025
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
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