ROBERT "REB" RALSTON

Real Name: Robert Ralston

Identity/Class: Human (World War II era to modern day)

Occupation: Senator, former commando, jockey

Group Membership: Howling Commandos, V-Battalion

Affiliations: Agent Q, Agent X, Ancient One, Captain Andre, Angel (Tom Halloway), Gene Autry, Dick Ayers, Colonel William Ballinger, Black Widow (Anya Derevkova), Black Widow (Claire Voyant), Morgana Blessing, Blue Blade, Blue Diamond, Bucky (James Buchanan Barnes), Senator Harrington Byrd, Captain America (Steve Rogers), Captain Terror, Captain Wonder, Major Carlo, Sharon Carter, Winston Churchill, Claire, Clea, Irving Cohen, Selma Cohen, Jerry Colonna, Captain Tim Corbett, General Curtis, Deadly Dozen, Defender, Jacques Dernier, Desert Hawk (Ben Ali Mussim), Destroyer (Roger Aubrey), Dr. Strange, Dracula, Dynamic Man, Electro, Fantastic Four (Human Torch, Invisible Girl, Mr. Fantastic, Thing), Father Time, Fin, Gary Friedrich, Dawn Fury, Jake Fury, John Garrett, Henri Gendron, Martin Goodman, Betty Grable, Hamir, Henry Peter Gyrich, Hawkeye, Pamela Hawley, Herbie, Bob Hope, Hulk, Human Torch (Jim Hammond), Peter Kazantis, Ilsa Koenig, Colonel Kyril Kuslov, Marie LaBrave, Pierre LaBrave, Dorothy Lamour, Laughing Mask, Leatherneck Raiders, Jean-Luc LeBeau, Stan Lee, Irving Levine, Coral Liebowitz, M'gumbii, Murdo MacKay, Dr. Macmillan, Master Mind Excello, Maulers, Lee Mayer, Glenn Miller, Miss America, Miss Fury, Missouri Marauders, Mister E, Jim Morita, Sheila Mussim, Night Raven, Colonel Phil Parker, Lt. Spencer Parker, Dr. Warren Parker, Phantom Reporter, Lt. Colonel Pinkerton, Cliff Powers, Red Raven, Major Redgrave, Terry Reiker, Major Richards, Rockman, Franklin Roosevelt, Colonel Schiller, S.H.I.E.L.D., C. Thomas Sites, Jasper Sitwell, Michael Skouras, Sophia, Josef Stalin, Howard Stark, Maria Stark, Tony Stark, Sub-Mariner, Carla Swain, Major Matt Talbot, Tom Tanaka, Sister Theresa, Thor, Admiral Turner, Lana Turner, Union Jack (Brian Falsworth), Dr. Karl von Rusteg, Whizzer, Witness, Dr. Zenish

Enemies: Agent of 1,000 Faces, the Alliance, Baron Blood, Blitzkrieg Squad, Bodenschatz, Eva Braun, Candra, Major Dommerlein, Dormammu, Freissel, Colonel Otto Frick, Major Frobrich, Otto Froebe, Joseph Goebbels, Hans, Captain Wilhelm Hauser, Gerta Heinz, Adolf Hitler, Hydra, Ambassador Ihetu, Irma, Major Itsui, Kevin Kenner, Kielzig, General Toshiro Kimoto, Colonel Klaue, Major Kleit, Jorgen Kline, Colonel Kritzberg, Heinrich Krowler, Rudolph Kruuger, Lord Ha-Ha, General Nakamura, Omnibus, Orini, Panzer Max, Lo Parino, the Planner, Ravonne, Red Skull (Johann Shmidt), Erwin Rommel, Paul Ryan, Colonel Schleicher, Hans Schmidt, Captain Schnitzler, Lt. Otto Shmidt, Skrulls, Van Kerkvoort, Colonel Van Papen, Colonel Ludwig von Baum, Baron Johann von Braun, General von Krummpt, Hans von Reichardt, General Von Ritzik, Baron Wolfgang von Strucker, Baron Strucker LMD, Von Stuerer, Baron Heinrich Zemo

Known Relatives: Mr. and Mrs. Ralston (parents), Ryan Ralston (grandson)

Aliases: None

Place of Birth: Louisville, Kentucky

Base of Operations: Washington, D.C.
Formerly Able Company base, England (World War II)
Family estate in Kentucky

First Appearance: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#1 (May, 1963)

Powers/Abilities: Robert Ralston was a trained ranger in his prime, usually wielding a machine gun and grenades. His favorite item was his lasso, which he could use to rope almost anything. He was also a terrific horseback rider from his days as a jockey.

Height: 5'7"
Weight: 157 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Gray (formerly blond)

History: (Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#1 (fb) - BTS) - Robert Ralston was a jockey in Kentucky prior to enlisting to fight for the U.S.A. in World War II.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#34 (fb)) - Robert "Reb" Ralston was one of the founding members of the First Attack Squad gathered by Captain Samuel Sawyer at Able Company base. His fellow rangers were Sgt. Nick Fury, Corporal Timothy "Dum-Dum" Dugan, Jonathan "Junior" Juniper, Isadore "Izzy" Cohen, Dino Manelli and Gabriel Jones.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commanods#44 (fb)) - The First Attack Squad were put through their training by Captain Sawyer, and encountered early friction between Jones and Ralston over Jones' skin colour. When Dr. MacMillan, a British rocket scientist was captured by the Germans and held outside of Paris, Captain Sawyer sent the First Attack Squad into the field as a commando unit, working in partnership with the British. Seriously outnumbered and unable to storm the Nazi base, "Junior" Juniper suggested that they use a German sound truck's speakers to make it sound as though there were more commandos surrounding the base. The squad yelled Reb's yell of "Wah-hoo!" into the speakers to outfox the Nazis, and succeeded in making them think they were outnumbered. They escaped with Dr. Macmillan, and Prime Minister Winston Churchill was so impressed with their performance that he made them the first Ranger Squadron to also hold the title of commandos. When Sawyer learned how the squad had used Reb's yell to trick the Nazis, he nicknamed them the "Howling Commandos."

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#1) - The Howlers were sent on a mission into Nazi-occupied France to rescue Pierre LaBrave, a French Resistance fighter who held important information on the Allies' D-Day plans. Pierre's daughter Marie helped them reach the town of Louviers where he was being held. All of the Howlers were captured except for Sgt. Fury himself, and he came to their rescue just as the Nazis were about to execute them all. They took General Von Ritzik prisoner with them as they returned to England, while the LaBraves returned to the resistance.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#2) - The Howlers journeyed to a French coastal town where they distracted the Nazis occupying the site so that their naval forces could destroy the U-Boat pens located there. For their next mission, Captain Sawyer assigned them to journey to Heinemund to prevent the Germans research into atomic weaponry. Shortly after their arrival in Germany, Dum-Dum was captured during a skirmish with the Nazis, and Dino disguised himself as a Nazi to find where he was being held, and the Howlers rescued Dugan. "Junior" Juniper then suggested that they use reverse psychology on the Nazis and turn themselves in then beg to not be sent to the concentration camp at Heinemund. The Nazis fell for it, and they broke out of the camp soon after their arrival and made it to the development center and shot the place up. Not long after they departed, the entire center went up in an atomic explosion.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#3) - The Howlers got into a fight at a pub and wound up putting over a dozen men in the hospital. It took guardsmen armed with a tank to get them into the guardhouse. Sawyer sent the Howlers to Italy to meet up with O.S.S. agent Major Richards and help rescue a squad led by General Curtis that was trapped by the Nazis at Massacre Mountain. When they reached the entrapped men, they met reporter "Hank Smith." After every attempt at moving out was thwarted, Fury exposed Smith as Hans Schmidt, an undercover German agent, and Manelli killed him. They finally reached General Curtis and helped him through the "Tunnel of Caesar," a passageway under Massacre Mountain.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#4) - The Howlers were sent to Germany to kidnap Lord Ha-Ha, the brother of Pamela Hawley, a medic who Fury had met. They disguised themselves as circus performers to sneak across Germany. Although they managed to capture Lord Ha-Ha, he betrayed them and exposed them to the Nazis while they were waiting for a submarine to pick them up. Lord Ha-Ha and Junior were both killed, but the remaining Howlers returned to England.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#5) - Fury was affected by Junior's death, and it caused him to drive the Howlers further into training to prevent another death. When Baron Strucker challenged Fury to a duel, Fury disobeyed Sawyer's orders and met him, only to be drugged by wine Strucker gave him so that Strucker could easily defeat him and photograph the event to use it as a propoganda victory. Fury was demoted to private by Sawyer, and Dugan assumed command of the Howlers. On a mission in Germany, the Howlers encountered Baron Strucker, and Fury demanded a rematch. Manelli realized that Strucker had used drugs on Fury before, and this time Fury refused the drink and beat Strucker, while Dugan took pictures. Sawyer restored Fury to the rank of sergeant for humiliating Strucker.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#6) - To prepare for an assignment to North Africa to assassinate Erwin Rommel, the Howling Commandos were forced to step up their training, including parachuting. When Manelli's chute failed to open during a drop, Fury narrowly saved him, but he was laid up in the hospital as a result. George Stonewell was assigned to the Howling Commandos as Manelli's temporary replacement, but he turned out to be a bigot prejudiced against Cohen and Jones. Stonewell did like Ralston, however, because he was a "true" American. Fury was forced to put up with Stonewell because no one else was available. They came close to succeeding in their mission, but Stonewell was hit by shrapnel saving Cohen from a grenade. Cohen brought him to safety, and Jones saved Stonewell's life with a blood transfusion. The Howlers ultimately learned from the British that the attempt on Rommel was to be called off because Rommel was involved in a conspiracy to assassinate Hitler. Stonewell was reassigned when they returned to England, but he left his address with Cohen and Jones as a gesture of friendship.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#7 (fb) - BTS) - The Howling Commandos captured Lt. Otto Shmidt, and brought him back to England. Shmidt was so grateful to have been taken alive that he told Fury about a fake ammo dump which the Nazis intended to use as a booby trap against the French Underground.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#7) - Weeks later, after capturing a Nazi Doodle-Bug, they were assigned to help Lt. Spencer Parker and the French Underground destroy an ammo dump. When Fury realized that it was the one Shmidt told him about, he tried to get Parker to call off the attack. They were sighted by planes and bombed, but they all managed to escape back to England. Fury was put on court martial, and defended by Colonel William Ballinger, but had lost his memory of why he had turned on Parker. Finally, when a Nazi plane bombed Able Company base, he regained his memory and brought out Shmidt to verify his story. Meanwhile, the Howlers had heard Bull McGiveney had been badmouthing Fury, and put him and the Maulers in the hospital. They were all sent to the guard house until Fury was cleared of charges.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#8) - The Howlers received their replacement for Juniper-- British commando Percival "Pinky" Pinkerton. Although they were initially skeptical if Percy had the makings of a Howler, he quickly proved himself on their mission to stop Baron Heinrich Zemo, creator of a death-ray. Along the way they destroyed a U-boat, coastline defenses, a tank, and an ammo dump. In battle with Zemo, Reb managed to lariat the death-ray away from him, and Zemo fled. Fury realized that the death-ray would overload, so he evacuated the castle as it exploded. They returned to England and officially welcomed Percival into their ranks.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#9) - The Howlers were assigned on a mission to kidnap Adolf Hitler from Berlin. With the help of an unnamed member of the German underground, they attended a rally, but were recognized by Baron Strucker and only Fury and Cohen escaped. Fury forced Strucker to help him capture Hitler, then they rescued the Howlers. The German underground member died helping them escape to England, but they discovered that the Hitler they had captured was an imposter. However, the army was pleased because now they had proof that Hitler was using doubles.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos II#1 (fb) - BTS) - <Winter 1942> The Howling Commandos were sent to Yugoslavia to steal plans for a nuclear bomb from a weapon facility under Baron Zemo's command.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos II#1) - With their plane shot down over Yugoslavia the Commandos parachuted to the ground and were unable to avoid enemy contact when they encountered Nazi soldiers, whom they quickly dispatched of. Even though Russian spy Black Widow (Derevkova) had her among the Nazis blown by them she joined forces with them to take down Nazi planes and tanks on their way to the town of Kurabavic, which they freed from the Nazis.

   After some downtime in Kurabavic the Howlers and Black Widow invaded Baron Zemo's nearby nuclear weapons facility. Fury prevented Zemo from self-destructing the bomb, but couldn't stop Black Widow from stealing the bomb's plans. The Howlers escaped the facility through the cooling system's drain and caught up with Black Widow at a Nazi airfield. They stole an experimental plane alongside Black Widow, unaware it could be remote-controlled, and got captured by Baron Strucker, when the plane was forced to land on another Nazi airfield. Strucker had them brought to a castle where he pitted the prototype warbot Panzer Max against the Howling Commandos in a presentation to Japanese Admiral Nakamura. The Howlers destroyed Panzer Max, escaped the Nazi fortress and stole Nakamura's submarine, which was filled with gold meant as payment for an atomic bomb. The Howlers allowed Black Widow to escape in a plane while they took the submarine to England. Though they got chewed up for not staying within the mission parameters, Nick Fury successfully pointed out how much more good they had done by not doing so.

   Following the mission the Howlers watched a movie about Captain America.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#118) <1942, August 30> - The Howling Commandos were sent to Africa to help drive Rommel from El Alamein, and succeeded.

(Invaders I#35) <1942> - While Nick, Gabe, Dum-Dum and Reb were on furlough in New York, they sighted the Invaders in Times Square.

(Dr. Strange II#50-51) <1943> - The Howlers encountered the time-traveling Dr. Strange, Morgana Blessing, and Clea, who had all been manipulated by Dormammu, Sir Baskerville and Viscount Krowler in an attempt to let Baron Mordo possess Morgana's body in the past. Morgana turned out to be a reincarnation of Pamela Hawley, leading to her being made a prisoner. The Howlers were involved when they were sent to investigate Baskerville Castle as a site of Nazi spies, and found a full complement of Nazis on hand. Ultimately, Dr. Strange defeated Krowler and Baskerville and removed the memory of the events from Fury and the other Howlers' minds.

(Gambit III#10 (fb)) <1943> - The Howling Commandos worked with the thief Jean-Luc LeBeau in an attempt to obtain the Momentary Princess, a mystical jewel which would appear and vanish within a short timeframe in Leipzig every few years. They were opposed by Baron Strucker and Candra, who also sought the item, and ultimately it vanished without anyone claiming it.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#10) - Sawyer sent the Howlers on a mission to Okinawa to rescue Colonel Phil Parker from the Japanese. Fury had served with Parker in the past, and was eager to rescue his one-time c.o. They flew from Greenland to Canada to Alaska, and finally to an aircraft carrier in the Pacific where they journeyed aboard the U.S.S. Sea Wolf under the command of Captain Simon Savage, who impressed the Howlers with his fearlessness and command style. After disembarking at Okinawa through the torpedo tubes of the Sea Wolf, the Howlers ambushed a Japanese soldier and had Izzy wear his uniform and pretend to be the Howlers' captor. They managed to trick the Japanese into transferring them and Parker to a destroyer bound for Tokyo, then overthrew the crew of the ship and returned to the aircraft carrier.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#11) - Sawyer was placed on detached service for two weeks, during which Captain Flint was assigned as C.O. of the Howling Commandos. The Howlers put themselves into more training, hoping to impress Flint, but Bull McGiveney tricked them into thinking that Flint wasn't by-the-book, causing them to meet him dressed in battle-damaged clothing. Flint was furious, and forced the Howlers to obey all regulations. For a mission to destroy a convoy in Normandy, Flint accompanied the commandos into battle. Flint was knocked down during the mission, but the Howlers went on to succeed without him, and Flint wound up coming over to the Howlers way of thinking.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#12) - The Howlers were ordered to destroy a V-1 rocket site in Germany, but encountered heavy resistance from the Nazis and could not locate the site. Pinned down, Fury and Manelli hatched a plan for Manelli to pretend to be a defector so that he could find the site. The other Howlers were unaware of this plan, and when Fury was lost during the mission, they assumed the worst. Manelli eventually returned to England with news of the site's destruction, but found himself lined up for a court-martial and execution. Manelli's life was saved at the last possible moment when Fury turned alive with the explanation for Manelli's defection.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#13/Captain America I#383/2) - The Howlers were summoned to Europe by Captain America and Bucky to aid them in halting Operation: Einfall, an attempt by the Germans to tunnel into England. Jones was hit by grenade shrapnel, so Cohen was ordered to bring him back home. Dugan and Manelli helped the others continue on by turning a howitzer on the Germans. Percival helped Fury and Ralston get aboard a train, buying them the time they needed. Fury and Ralston eventually met up with Captain America and Bucky, and they destroyed the Germans' tunnel. All of the Howlers were reunited in England.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#14) - The Howlers were sent to destroy a V-2 rocket site within German territory, but it turned out to be a trap set by Baron Strucker's Blitzkrieg Squad. Ralston fought his opposite number Ernst, a German horserider. They managed to escape the Blitzkrieg Squad and disguise themselves as Nazis then returned to England.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#15) - The Howlers went to Holland to aid local spy Agent X in setting up charges in the dikes on the coast that would destroy the Nazi forces located there. They were also aided by Hans Rooten, son of the local mayor, believed to be a traitor. By the mission's end, the Howlers realized that Agent X was Hans' father, and he asked Fury to take Hans back to England with them for protection until he could finally reveal his double identity to his son.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#16) - The Howlers were sent to North Africa to investigate the disappearance of a spy, and discovered a Nazi V-2 base in a French fortress. Reb was injured trying to save Dum-Dum from a firefight, and was placed in the care of some local nomads. One of the daughters of the Arab leaders was attracted to Reb, and convinced her father to aid the Howling Commandos against the Nazis. With the nomads' help, they conquered the fortress and Izzy destroyed it.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#17) - As they trekked across the desert, the Howlers managed to down a Nazi plane and use its radio to contact Sawyer. He ordered them to remain in Africa and investigate the disappearance of several commandos in the jungle. They found that Nazis had made a base in the jungle, tricking the natives into believing they were allies, and enslaved the soldiers as their slaves. Gabe helped drive the natives into rebellion against the Nazis while the others set the captives free, and they overran the Nazi's base.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#18) - Fury decided to propose to Pamela Hawley after the squad's mission to destroy the raider Deutschland in Norway. They succeeded in the mission, but when Fury returned to propose he learned from Pamela's father that she had been killed in an air raid while he was away.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#19) - Sgt. Fury drove himself hard after Pamela's death. When Sawyer gave the Howlers a furlough, Fury used it to find General von Krummpt, the man who ordered the attack that killed Pamela. The Howlers joined him on his mission, and von Krummpt ultimately died battling Fury aboard a plane.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#20) - The Howlers were parachuted into Kerrydale Castle, Scotland, to defeat the Blitzkrieg Squad, who had taken hostages. The Howlers defeated their opposite numbers in the Blitzkrieg Squad and turned them over to military custody.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#21) - After an explosive the Howlers used in a training exercise proved defective, they learned that the inventor, Dr. Zenish, was afraid for the lives of his wife and daughter. Sawyer assigned the Howlers to rescue Zenish's relatives from Kraslice, Czechoslovakia, and they ultimately found his daughter was still alive. The French resistance hero Jacques Dernier helped them escape the Nazis, and they reunited Zenish and his daughter, then resumed a barfight they had begun with the Maulers before leaving.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#22) - The Howlers were sent on a mission to Romania alongside the Maulers to take out flak guns so that the air force could launch a strike on the Ploesti oil fields. During the mission, they again fought Strucker and his Blitzkrieg Squad and defeated them. Despite Fury and McGiveney's constant rivalry, the Howlers succeeded in their mission, and returned to Able Company base.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#23) - The Howlers journeyed to Burma to help escort Sister Theresa and the children in her charge past the Japanese forces of Major Itsui and to the British battalion the Burma Dragons. Pinky was nervous about encountering his brother, the lieutenant colonel of the Burma Dragons, but he wound up being proud that Percival was a Howling Commando.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#24) - All of the Howlers (plus Hans) were given a two-week furlough in the United States. While there they met Izzy's parents and sister, but Reb left the others to see his family. However, Reb found them under siege by bundists who were after material on the Manhattan Project that was being held nearby. Fury realized Reb was in danger and came to his rescue. When Pinky learned from Reb's parents that his first name was "Robert," he found it amusing, but Reb insisted they never call him that. The Howlers drove out the Nazis, although Dum-Dum was wounded and sent to a hospital for an indeterminate period of time. When they were told to return to England by orders from Captain Sawyer, they mutually agreed that Hans should remain with Reb's parents until they could find his father in Holland.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#25) - Captain Sawyer was kidnapped by the Red Skull and impersonated by him. The Skull also impersonated Fury, and used this guise to frame Fury as a traitor. When Fury realized what was going on, he and the Howlers tracked the Red Skull down and freed Sawyer.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#26) - The Howlers were transported aboard the Sea Wolf with Captain Savage to help rescue Dum-Dum and three air force men who had been captured aboard the Nazi ship the Sea Shark. However, by the time they arrived Dum-Dum and his allies had already destroyed the Sea Shark, and the Sea Wolf picked them up and brought them home, as Dum-Dum returned to active duty in the Howling Commandos.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#27) - The Howlers went to Germany to destroy a new weapon created by Dr. August Draus which could blind Allied bombers by emitting a powerful light. While destroying the device, Fury was hit in the face by shrapnel, and Dino bandaged up his left eye. Fury was separated from the other Howlers when he tried to hold off approaching Nazis single-handed, but eventually he found Dr. Draus and convinced Draus' aide Eric Koenig to assist him. Fury and Koenig kidnapped Draus and returned to England with him. Fury was given an operation for his eye, but he refused to be taken off-duty long enough for a permanent repair, and so was warned that his vision would one day fail him.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#28-29) - The Howlers helped organize the French resistance in Cherbeaux, which was being monitored by Baron Strucker. As the resistance continued to fight back, Strucker was forced by Hitler to adopt harsher methods, until he finally wired the entire town with explosives. Fury countered by setting up explosives around Strucker's own base. To end their stand-off, Strucker agreed to let the townspeople be evacuated if Fury would surrender, but when the townspeople had left, Fury revealed that he had disguised resistance members as Nazis, and they overcame Strucker's forces. Strucker destroyed the town, but Fury and his men all escaped. Captain Savage brought the Howlers back to England.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#30) - The Howlers journeyed to Italy where they aided partisan Major Carlo in removing a fortune of gold stolen from Mussolini. They were aided by a young girl named Sophia who was attracted to Dino.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#31) - When a spy learned that Sam Sawyer knew about D-Day, he was captured and brought to Germany so that Major Frobrich of the S.S. could interrogate him. The Howling Commandos came to Sam's rescue and broke him out of the base.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#32) - A Nazi spy disguised as a doctor had Izzy hypnotized into obeying Nazi orders. When the Howlers were sent to destroy a deuterium plant in Norway, Izzy sent a homing signal that led Colonel Schleicher and his Nazi forces to the Howlers' location. Schleicher used his control over Izzy to try and make him kill his friends, but Izzy overcame the conditioning and defeated Schleicher. The Howlers went on to destroy the plant.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#33) - The Howlers got into another fight with the Maulers when McGiveney insulted Sgt. Fury, and Captain Sawyer demanded that the two squads learn how to cooperate. On their next mission, they escorted Peter Kazantis of the Greek royal family back to Greece to help unite the resistance effort against the Nazis. They brought Kazantis to the resistance, but a member named Ravonne betrayed them to the Nazis and they were all captured. Kazantis was forced to read Nazi propaganda over the radio, but instead urged his people to rise up, and he and the Howlers escaped the Nazis. With the Nazis in hot pursuit of them, Ralston, Pinkerton, Dugan, Cohen, Jones and Manelli stayed behind to buy Fury the time he needed to get Kazantis to safety.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#35) - Cohen, Dugan, Jones, Manelli, Pinkerton, and Ralston were captured transported to Berlin to be executed on film by Hitler himself. Fury teamed with Bull McGiveney and "Rickets" Johnson of the Maulers and Eric Koenig to steal into the theatre where the execution was to be held and set them free. As they were escaping the theatre, Dino made a daring effort to shut off the lights, and was hit badly for his trouble. They brought Dino to Eric's sister, Ilsa Koenig, who treated his wounds, and they all returned to England. However, Dino's injured leg forced him out of the service and back to the U.S. Captain Sawyer assigned Eric to join the Howlers as Dino's replacement.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#36) - The Howlers placed Eric through training alongside them, though he was driven to exceed all of their expectations. On their first mission together, they were sent to Switzerland to hijack Colonel Ludwig von Baum, a top military strategist on his way to Italy. They confronted von Baum on a train, and Eric had to fight his childhood friend Wilhelm Hauser, who was von Baum's guard. They succeeded in the mission, and Captain Sawyer made Eric's appointment to the Howling Commandos permanent.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#37) - The Howlers were sent to North Africa to investigate the "Desert Hawk," leader of a band of nomads who appeared to be supporting the Nazi cause. They learned from the Desert Hawk's daughter Sheila that her father, Ben Ali Mussim was being held prisoner by the Nazis, and she had been dressing as the Desert Hawk to keep the Nazis from killing her father. The Howlers helped rescue her father from Colonel Otto Frick and the nomads stopped supporting the Nazis.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#38) - The Howlers had a mail call, and Reb received a copy of the latest racing news from his father. Learning that Dr. Warren Parker could perform an operation to save Dino's life, but that he was held in a concentration camp, the Howlers were given a secret mission by Sawyer to rescue him, and the ranger Jim Morita joined them. They succeeded in freeing Dr. Parker and brought him back to England.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#39) - The Howlers invaded Festung von Furcht, where the jet-propelled Thunderer plane was being developed. Koenig was able to charm some female Germans into finding where the plane was located, and despite the efforts of Siegfried, Dugan's sparring partner from the Blitzkrieg Squad, and the steel-fisted Colonel Klaue, they were able to capture the Thunderer, and Koenig flew them back to England aboard it.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#40) - The Howlers learned that the French fighter Jacques Dernier was being held captive in occupied France. The Howlers met up with the French resistance member Claire, who aided them in the rescue. They broke into the prison where Dernier was held but the man they freed was a Nazi agent named Hans, disguised as Jacques. Fury realized the deception when Hans identified Eric Koenig, whom Jacques had never met. Hans wound up being shot by his own fellow Nazis, and the Howlers found the real Jacques and two of his men and freed them, knowing he was the right man because he didn't know Eric. When they had all escaped the Nazis safely the Howlers returned to England, where they found Dino waiting for them. Although Dino was there to make a film for the war department, the Howlers happily welcomed him back into the fold.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#41) - The Howlers participated in the production of a film for the U.S. government with Dino and his newfound lover Nina Bergson. When Fury was presented with a medal from Winston Churchill, Colonel Klaue and the Blitzkrieg Squad attempted to kill Churchill, but Nina sacrificed herself for him. Ralston again fought his counterpart Ernst, who had learned to use the lasso, but Ralston managed to lasso him first and defeat him, while the other Howlers defeated the rest of the squad.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#42) - Dino's sorrow over Nina's death caused him to go AWOL, and when Fury went after him, Sawyer had to put Bull McGiveney in charge of the Howlers' next mission, to find the location of a factory in Germany for Allied bombers to target. Fury and Dino chased after the Howling Commandos, but when they found that Eric had gone AWOL to find his sister, Dino and Fury went after Eric and helped him rescue Ilsa. They met up with Bull and the other Howlers and completed the mission. Sawyer restricted McGiveney and all of the Howlers to their quarters for disobeying orders.

(Marvel Comics Presents#77/3-79/2) - The Howlers were sent to destroy a German oil dump in Ploesti, Romania. During the mission, they were aided by Dracula, who they discovered was a vampire. They allowed him to assist them, but Pinkerton was insistent on informing Van Helsing of his continued existence.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#43) - The Howlers returned to North Africa to clash with the forces of Rommel yet again, this time facing his super-tank. While there, they also attended a USO show put on for the troops that featured Gene Autry, Glenn Miller, Bob Hope, Jerry Colonna, Betty Grable, Dorothy Lamour and Lana Turner. The super-tank was destroyed, and the Howlers returned to England.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#44) - While the Howlers were on a training mission, they began to reminisce about their first mission, and Percival and Koenig asked them to relate the tale.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#45) - The Howlers had to cooperate with Paul Ryan, the son of a general who was so gung-ho to see combat that he repeatedly jeopardized their mission, and his penchant for killing Nazis extended to those surrendering and even already captured. When the mission was completed Fury complained to Captain Sawyer. That night Fury went out on a date with Ilsa Koenig, and they were interrupted by Ryan. Ryan picked a fight with Fury, and the altercation was witnessed by Captain Sawyer and General Ryan. The general was ashamed of his son, and set him up for a court martial, recommending he be placed in a doctor's care. Dum-Dum had lost a number of his trademark derbys during his time around Ryan, and the Howlers bought him a new one as a gift.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#46) - The Howlers were sent to France with medic Cliff Powers to help rescue Koenig and the Maulers, who had been pinned down and wounded. Reb was grazed in combat, but Powers saw to his wound. Koenig piloted them all back to England.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#47) - When the Howlers went on furlough to a London pub with Ilsa Koenig as Fury's date, the pub owner collaborated with Colonel Klaue and Gerta Heinz to set off a bomb in the basement that would kill them all. Fortunately, Pinky learned about their plan and got them out of the building in time. They were then met by Sam Sawyer, who told them that the Blitzkrieg Squad had escaped custody.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#48) - The Howlers prepared for a confrontation with the Blitzkrieg Squad, but the squad came to them at Able Company base. They managed to defeat the squad alongside the Maulers and Morita's Nisei Squadron, and defeated Colonel Klaue as well.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#49) - Captain Savage met up with the Howling Commandos and assigned them to Tarawa to retrieve Rolfe Harrison, who had gathered important intelligence on the Japanese forces there. However, all of the Howlers were captured trying to reach him. They took Izzy apart from the others to interrogate him. Harrison broke into the Japanese camp and set the other Howlers free and they returned to Savage's submarine, the Sea Wolf. However, Cohen remained in Japanese custody.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#50) - The Howlers led the invasion of Tarawa alongside Harrison and hoped to rescue Izzy, but learned from the captured General Kimoto that they had transferred Izzy to Tokyo.

(Captain Savage and his Leatherneck Raiders#1) - As the Howlers returned home aboard the Sea Wolf they encountered Captain Simon Savage and his Leatherneck Raiders, adrift in a raft. They helped them aboard, and were surprised to learn that Savage was now a commando leader. They engaged in a little bit of friendly rivalry with the Leathernecks.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#51) - The Howlers were brought to Teheran by Captain Sawyer to help provide security while President Roosevelt, Josef Stalin and Winston Churchill held a meeting. Dino happened to encounter Jorgen Kline, who had been ordered by the Nazis to kill the three leaders to save his family. Dino tried to talk him out of it, and Kline ultimately abandoned the mission and killed himself.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#52) - Captain Sawyer joined the Howlers on a mission to rescue Dr. Karl von Rusteg from the prison camp Treblinka. They managed to tunnel out of the camp, disguise themselves as Nazis, and escape Germany in a commandeered PT boat.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#53) - Lee Mayer of the O.S.S. sent the Howlers on a mission to kidnap Otto Froebe, the Nazi strategist who was planning the invasion of England. The Howlers invaded the castle where Froebe was based, and succeeded in capturing him.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#54) - Captain Sawyer placed the Howlers into specialty training, with Reb receiving advanced commando technique training, but Sawyer had to call the training off when a new mission came up.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#55) - On a mission in Germany, the Howlers were knocked out by an aerial bombardment and captured by the Nazis. They sent Gabe to Berlin, while the others were placed in a hospital under the care of a nurse named Irma. Fury became attracted to Irma because she resembled Pamela Hawley, and when Irma claimed to be a member of the underground, he believed her and brought her with them as they fled Germany, much to Reb's despair when he learned they were abandoning Gabe. But when the Howlers met up with Jacques Dernier in France, he exposed her as a Nazi spy. She had summoned Nazis to their location, but the Howlers and French underground beat them, and Irma died during the firefight, cursing Fury as a fool with her dying breath.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#56) - Reb went out into Paris looking for Gabe, and ultimately helped him, the Howling Commandos and singer Carla Swain against Nazis. Carla was impressed that Reb came to her rescue, having assumed he would be racist.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#57) - Sawyer sent the Howlers to rescue Jim Morita and his squad from Prison Camp 13, deep within Germany. The Howlers allowed themselves to be captured so that they could engineer a mass breakout, but they learned that there was an informer within the camp. They released false information to mislead the Nazis, and succeeded in their breakout. They finally exposed the informer as Bodenschatz, a Nazi spy. Bodenschatz gave himself away when he refused to share Gabe's canteen.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#58) - The Agent of 1,000 Faces disguised himself as actor John Barrywell in order to ambush Dino Manelli and use him as bait in an attempt to destroy the Howling Commandos, but the Howlers overcame the Agent and his men.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#59) - Reb and the other Howlers were finally reunited with Izzy, who had been freed from the Japanese by the Leatherneck Raiders. Shortly afterwards, they fought Colonel Klaue when he tried to trick Fury into a duel.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#60) - Dugan was court-martialed, and Ralston testified on his behalf, recalling how Dugan took a bullet defending his family. Regardless, "Sawyer" was determined to throw the book at him. Dugan was found guilty, but Fury realized that "Sawyer" was an imposter because his eyes were the wrong color. He exposed him as the Agent of 1,000 Faces, causing a reversal of the court's decision on Dugan. The Agent of 1,000 Faces offered himself as a trade for Sawyer, but the Howlers were determined to rescue Sawyer themselves.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#61) - Captain Flint briefly returned to command the Howlers, and directed them to the location where Captain Sawyer was being held. By the time the Howlers arrived, Sawyer had managed to free himself, and they returned to England together.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#63) - In a game of poker, Percival won, and revealed to Ralston that he had finally learned his secret at winning: he cheated. Later, the Howlers received a new member, Jerry Larkin, an old friend of Manelli's. Larkin joined them for a mission to destroy a German submarine pen. Fury was injured by a sniper during the trek to the site, and Larkin began increasingly to take charge and shoulder risks. Cohen set off explosives that destroyed the pens, but Larkin was shot by a Nazi as he fled the explosion. After he died, Manelli told the others that Larkin had cancer, which was why he took so many risks.

(Captain Savage and his Battlefield Raiders#11) - The Howling Commandos teamed up with the Leatherneck Raiders to storm a Japanese island and rescue the scientist Terry Reiker. During the trek through the jungle to reach the castle, the Leathernecks member Lee Baker was killed by a sniper, reminding the Howlers of "Junior" Juniper's death.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#64) - The Howlers and Leathernecks continued their mission, and broke into the castle to rescue Terry Reiker. She turned out to be an American who was extremely anti-war and had unrealistic views of the Japanese being pro-peace. In the course of breaking her out she seemed to begin to understand the necessity of the war. She was killed in a protest rally shortly after her rescue.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#65) - Eric suddenly became a traitor to the Howling Commandos, led Fury into an ambush alongside Gerta Heinz, and took him captive.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#66-67) - While Fury was held by Koenig in Germany, the other Howling Commandos were sent to the U.S.A. to help train new commandos. When they heard that Fury had been found they immediately returned to England, but Sawyer told them to return to the States because he would be sending the entire squad on a furlough, Fury included.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#68-69) - Fury visited his family in New York, and invited the other Howlers to come after him. However, Colonel Klaue was in the U.S. and captured and drugged Fury. The newly-arrived Howlers had to fight Colonel Klaue without Fury and rescue his sister Dawn from Klaue and his ally Von Stuerer, but were aided by Fury's younger brother Jake. The effects of the drug eventually passed, and Fury returned to normal.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#70-71) - The Howlers teamed up with the Missouri Marauders on a mission to destroy a bridge in France that the Germans were using to move equipment to the coast. They tried to destroy the bridge by blasting a tank with a bazooka, but it started to rain, and it put out the tank's fire. However, a German plane suddenly swooped in and dropped a bomb on the bridge, destroying it. Unknown to the Howlers, the plane was piloted by Eric Koenig.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#72) - The Howlers listened as Captain Sawyer told them the story of his 1940 adventure to help Wilhelm Steuben escape Marrakech.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#73) - The Howlers were assigned to aid Colonel Kyril Kuslov in cutting off German supply lines to Moscow. They did not get along well with Kuslov. Reb won some Russian camoflage gear in a poker game and used it to help them attack the German lines. He was hit during the firefight and temporarily blinded, but the other Howlers came to his rescue, and they succeeded in their mission.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#74) - Each of the Howlers went on a solo mission as part of Operation: Jigsaw, a set of plans split into seven parts. Reb managed to swipe his part from a German office by sticking gum to his lariat and yanking it out of the window. The Howlers brought their parts to Sawyer, who discovered that the Nazis were manufacturing nerve gas. Sawyer and the Howlers flew a bomber over the plant and destroyed the facilities.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#75 (fb)) - The Howlers were assigned a new member, Duane Wilson, to replace Koenig. On a mission to rescue a captured general who knew the D-Day plans, Wilson proved himself at first, but during a bombardment, he cracked up. Fury assigned him to help Dugan carry the general to safety, but Wilson panicked and deserted. He returned soon after, but Fury had no choice but to send him up for a court martial.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#75) - The Howlers were forced to attend Wilson's execution by firing squad.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#77) - In-fighting broke out between the Howlers as Eric's defection took its toll and they began to harass each other. They were assigned Sgt. Hans Klaus, a German-born ranger to assist them in capturing Koenig. Fury distrusted Klaus because of his heritage, and it ultimately cost them an opportunity to capture Koenig.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#78) - Sgt. Klaus was placed in charge of the Howling Commandos on a mission to capture Koenig from a German prison. Klaus managed to set Koenig and his lover Coral Liebowitz free, but he sacrificed his own life to destroy the weaponry of Baron Johann von Braun.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#79) - Each of the Howlers were brought in to testify at Koenig's trial, and he was finally cleared of all charges. Fury was outraged, but Captain Sawyer explained that he had gone undercover for the Allies. On their next mission to destroy a Nazi base in a castle in the Bavarian Alps, Fury assigned Koenig to remain behind and takes pictures of the castle for intelligence while the others went in. Koenig knew that it was a sign that Fury didn't trust him. As they were climbing down to the castle, they were spotted by the Nazis and fired on. Koenig came to their rescue in a German plane he had stolen and he bombed the castle. Koenig asked Fury to trust him again, and Fury finally gave in, and officially welcomed Eric back to the Howling Commandos.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#81) - Former college All-American quarterback Fred Jones joined the Howlers. On a mission to capture Eva Braunat a French chateau, Jones was shot in the leg by Colonel Kritzberg. Braun got away, but Jones captured Kritzberg's plans. However, Jones lost his leg to the injury, removing him from the Howlers, and also meaning he could never return to football.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#83-84) - When the Maulers' newest member, former wrestler "Man-Mountain" McCoy joined the base's wrestling competition, Fury convinced Dugan to join and bring him down. However, the two wrestlers were captured by the Agent of 1,000 Faces, and the Howlers and Maulers joined forces to rescue them. By the end of their ordeal, Dugan and McCoy had become friends, and refused to fight each other in the ring.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#86) - The Howlers were joined by Izzy's childhood friend Kevin Kenner on a mission to capture Dr. Rueben Jabokwitz, a Polish scientist developing germ warfare in L'aison, France. During the mission, Izzy learned that Kenner was a spy for the Nazis and killed him, as well as destroying Jabokwitz and his lab.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#88) - As General Patton and Field Marshal Montgomery competed to reach Messina first, Reb and Pinky came to blows, each one standing up for his country. The Howlers wound up helping Patton's forces take Messina, and by the end Reb and Pinky had overcome their grudge.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#90) - The Howlers waited for Gabe at a pub, unaware that Gabe had been kidnapped by a Nazi.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#92 (fb)) - Sawyer assigned Tom Tanaka to assist the Howlers on a mission to expose and destroy a German medical base being used as a cover for a missile development site.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#92) - The Howlers and Tanaka captured Germans escorting Japanese ambassador Ihetu and used their clothes. Ihetu committed seppuku, and Tanaka took his clothing. Tanaka obtained photographic proof of the missiles and destroyed the base. On their way to a rendezvous, Tanaka was killed in a firefight with the Germans. When Fury went to tell Tanaka's parents of his death, he was horrified to learn that they lived in an American internment camp.

(Captain America Annual#9/2 (fb)) <1944, April> - The Howlers were sent to rescue Howard and Maria Stark from the Red Skull's castle in Germany, and were aided by Captain America and Bucky. Reb suffered from a bout of panic when some Nazis nearly got him, but Captain America helped him overcome his fears, and they succeeded in the mission.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Annual#2) <1944, June 5-6> - Leading up to D-Day, the Howlers invaded Normandy, meeting up with Jacques Dernier. They tricked a number of high-ranking Nazis to a chateau, then attacked them and destroyed an airfield. They were briefly captured by Colonel Van Papen, but rescued with help from Dernier, and went on to join the invasion force on June 6th.

(Dark Reign: New Nation#1 (fb)/Secret Warriors#17 (fb)) <1944, June 6> - As the Howling Commandos moved in for the D-Day invasion, Captain America delivered an inspirational speech to them.

(Secret Warriors#18 (fb) ) -

(Secret Warriors#18 (fb) ) - Captain America and the Howlers were surrounded by 50 to 60 Nazis. After listening to their commandant screaming for five minutes, Cap hit him in the face and the Howlers killed the Nazis.

(Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. II#3-5 (fb)) <1944, Summer> - The Howlers fought Baron Strucker and his Death's Head Squad in the German village of Gruenstadt, where Strucker massacred the village's population to protect the secrets of the extraterrestrial Gnobians.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#119 (fb)) <1944, October> - Sawyer assigned the Howlers to investigate the "Hawk Eyrie" headquarters of the Planner.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#119) <1944, October 10> - The Howlers parachuted into Switzerland and disguised themselves as Nazis, only to be discovered by Major Rudolph Kruuger. Kruuger brought them to the Planner, who turned out to be kept alive on machines. The Howlers destroyed the "Hawk Eyrie," apparently killing the Planner as a result.

(Captain America/Nick Fury: The Otherworld War#1) <1944, October> - The Howling Commandos, Captain America and Bucky pursued the Red Skull into the Dark Dimension when he stole the Ancient One's Eye of Agamotto talisman. Although they were faced with Dormammu and Orini, they were aided by Clea in retrieving the amulet and returning to Earth. The Ancient One removed their memories of the adventure from their minds.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Annual#4) <1944, December 16-25> - The Howlers got into another bar brawl with the Maulers, then were sent out to Belgium where they fought in the "Battle of the Bulge." At one point they were captured by American soldiers who accused them of being German infiltrators, but Koenig exposed their captors as the true Germans in disguise and beat them. At one point, they and other soldiers were caught and "executed" by the Germans, but the Howlers all managed to fake their deaths until the Germans left. They celebrated Christmas during the battle.

(Captain America III#32 (fb)) <1944, December> - During the Battle of the Bulge, the Howling Commandos, Captain America and Bucky came to the rescue of some soldiers pinned down by Nazis.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#94) - The Howlers were assigned to evacuate a German town before an airstrike destroyed a nearby missile base. However, Fury and Koenig learned from the town's obermeister that there were no missiles, and the Nazis were trying to smear the Allies by tricking them into destroying the town. Fury and Koenig were held captive by the obermeister's Nazi son, but managed to escape, too late to warn the townspeople. Bombers, including Herbie and Hawkeye, demolished the town. Fury was left badly wounded and unconscious.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#96) - Dugan assumed command of the Howlers and began a long trek through German territory to the coast. When they ran into a patrol, they positioned themselves by a cliffside to use the rocks as cover. Koenig suggested that someone depart so that the world would know what happened at the town. Dugan agreed, and ordered Koenig to go.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#97) - The pilots Herbie and Hawkeye came to help rescue the Howlers, but their plane was hit, and Herbie died in the crash. They began to scale the side of the cliff while the Germans continued to bombard them.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#98 (fb)) - The Howlers managed to get everyone up the side of the cliff except for Dugan and Hawkeye. Hawkeye used some smoke grenades to give them cover, but Hawkeye was struck down as they were climbing. The Howlers returned to England to get Fury medical attention.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#98) - Dugan was upset by the death of Hawkeye, hospitalization of Fury, and capture of Koenig, but Ralston comforted him, telling him he had done his best.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#102) - The Howlers, now comprised of Fury, Dugan, Ralston, Cohen and Jones, were sent to aid Agent Q to island near Sicily to destroy a counterfeit money plant set up by mobster Lo Parino. Ralston infiltrated the base by dressing as a mobster and joining a poker game, but was recognized by a mobster. However, the other Howlers came to his rescue and they succeeded in their mission.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#104) <1945, January> - The Deadly Dozen were under the command of Captain Conner, who refused to show any sign of weakness, and the Dozen began to fear he would get them killed. Manelli contacted Sgt. Fury, and he came to reinforce them with the Howlers. Captain Conner remained in command, however, and refused to advance their lines. When the Howlers showed him that thousands of Nazis were advancing on their position, Conner cracked up.

(Combat Kelly and the Deadly Dozen#4) - Fury beat up Conner, then assumed command of the situation, and sent Miller and Wagner to bring Conner back to headquarters, while the rest of them prepared to face the attacking Germans. The Howling Commandos and Deadly Dozen managed to hold off against unbelieveable odds, and the Germans finally retreated. However, Wagner had been killed while escorting Conner, and Conner abandoned the wounded Miller so that he could have revenge on Fury and Kelly. Conner confronted the two men with a rifle, threatening to kill them both for mutiny, but Miller caught up to Conner and shot him in the back. Miller then died from his wounds. General McCord arrived afterwards and gave Conner a decoration for bravery, thinking he had led the Howlers and Dozen to victory. Fury saw to it that Wagner and Miller's bodies were brought back for burial, but left Conner's body on the battlefield.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#106, 108) <1945, February> - The Howlers were sent to rescue prisoners being sent to Dresden on a train, but they wound up heading to Dresden themselves to attempt a mass evacuation of prisoners and civilians before the Allies bombed the city.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#110) - Anti-war reporter C. Thomas Sites was invited by Dugan to accompany the Howlers in the field. He did, and after seeing children murdered by the Nazis, his attitudes changed.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#112, 114) - While on a mission in Africa, the plane the Howlers were aboard was fired on, and Fury was lost, believed dead. He wound up in the clutches of Baron Strucker, who was testing out a new drug, and exposed Fury to it. Fury was overwhelmed by hallucinations. Although the Howlers realized he was alive and saved him, Fury was seemingly completely gone, mentally.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#115) - Learning that the psychiatrist Irving Levine could help restore Fury's sanity, the Howlers went on an unauthorized mission to rescue him from a German prison camp. They succeeded, and Fury was soon fit for duty.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#116) - Fury was taken off the Howlers to help train Larry Freese, Russ Talbert, James MacReedy and Lon Wilcox, but eventually returned to the Howling Commandos.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#117) - Fury put the Howlers through intensive training to prove that he was over his ordeal with Strucker. Later, Ralston attended the funeral of Jones' old friend Danny "Drummer" Bellaman.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#120) - The Howling Commandos journeyed to Roermond, Holland, to take photographs of the Germans' Buzz-Bomber. They succeeded, but when Izzy learned that his uncle was living nearby, he insisted on checking up on him. Discovering that his uncle was in a concentration camp, the Howlers disguised themselves to enter the camp, only to fall into a Nazi trap-- Izzy's uncle was dead and replaced with a Nazi agent who they intended for Izzy to rescue and bring back to the United States for espionage. The other Howlers escaped and warned Izzy, then killed the imposter.

(Captain America III#20/2-21/2) - The Howling Commandos were gassed and placed in the custody of Baron Blood, the Nazi vampire. Blood placed them in separate cells and intended to make all of them vampires as well. Ultimately, the captured Colonel William Popryzc allowed Blood to make him a vampire, then used his supernatural powers to tear the base apart and destroy himself. The Howlers were able to escape after the Nazis had been killed.

(Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. II#11 (fb)) - The Howling Commandos were sent on a mission to France where they were ambushed by Nazis upon arrival, but were aided by Murdo MacKay, chaplain and sole survivor of the Leigh Volunteers. He helped them overcome the Nazis as they set off to rendezvous with the French underground.

(The Twelve#1) <1945, April 25> - The Howling Commandos joined a veritable army of Allied super heroes as they charged into Berlin.

(Citizen V and the V Battalion#1 (fb)) <1951> - Reb helped found the V Battalion, an organization inspired by the freedom fighters led by the original Citizen V (John Watkins) during World War II, and comprised of many costumed heroes of the 1940s.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Annual#1) - During the Korean War, the Howling Commandos were reunited under the command of Colonel Sawyer, and he led them into combat to destroy a MIG base. They also reunited with Captain Savage on the mission as he transported them to shore. When Sawyer was hit by a bullet, Fury managed to talk him into sitting out the rest of the mission, but Sawyer soon followed them to the MIG base to help them escape the Koreans. After the base was destroyed, Sawyer granted a battlefield commission of lieutenant to Fury so that he could eventually assume command of the Howling Commandos from him.

(Citizen V and the V Battalion#2 (fb)) - Reb joined V Battalion members the Destroyer, Silver Scorpion, Dr. Hijiri "Sam" Sabuki and the Whizzer in thwarting a Skrull invasion.

(Citizen V and the V Battalion#2 (fb)) - Ralston became a U.S. senator, apparently with the assistance of the V Battalion's Destroyer.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Annual#3 (fb)) - In recent years, Ralston was in the middle of a poker game with other senators when he was contacted by Nick Fury, who sought to reunite the Howling Commandos for a civilian mission to Vietnam to prevent the construction of a hydrogen bomb. Ralston was eager to join the mission. General Sam Sawyer was placed in charge of the assignment, and he assigned S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Jasper Sitwell to the squad to fill out their numbers. In Vietnam, the squad took their orders from Sgt. Bull McGiveney, who had been hand-picked by Sawyer. McGiveney provided an escort as they set out to destroy the bomb, but on the way back, McGiveney was captured. Fury sent the other Howlers to make their rendezvous with Koenig's plane while he went to rescue McGiveney.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Annual#3) - Fury was captured as well, but the Howlers and McGiveney's green berets came to their rescue, and the entire squad returned safely to the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier for a debriefing from Sawyer.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Annual#4) - The one-time Howling Commandos gathered at Dugan's home in Boston to celebrate Christmas, along with Dugan's wife, Carla Swain, Izzy's wife and Izzy's three children. Fury entertained the children with a story of the Howlers' mission during the "Battle of the Bulge."

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#100) - The Howlers were reunited at an event held by Marvel Comics to celebrate 100 isues of the Sgt. Fury comic book, but a sniper shot Reb because of his pro-civil rights views. The Howlers and S.H.I.E.L.D. chased after the gunmen, and Izzy was badly hurt when he fell from a motorcycle in the chase. Fury killed the would-be assassin, and Reb and Izzy both recovered from their injuries.

(Captain America I#273-274) - Following a successful re-election, Senator Ralston attended the Howlers reunion alongside his one-time comrades and Captain America. When General Sawyer was kidnapped by Hydra agents at the scene, Captain America, Fury, Dugan and Jones set out to rescue him. Koenig, Cohen, Manelli, Pinkerton and Ralston decided to join their old friends, and Ralston provided his private jet for Koenig to pilot, and obtained firearms for the other ex-Howlers. They saved their friends from Hydra at the Grand Forks Air Base, although the LMD of Baron Strucker holding Sawyer managed to escape them. They pursued Sawyer to Hydra Island, where the LMD of Strucker tried to kill the Howlers by self-destructing, but Sawyer shielded them from the blast, losing his own life. Koenig and the other Howlers donned their old commando gear to attend Sawyer's funeral.

(Captain America Annual#9/2) - Serving as co-chairman of the Senate Defense Committee, Senator Ralston was completing a speech when a gunman shot him in the chest, calling him a "commie-sympathizer." Captain America was at hand and defeated the gunman, then saw to Ralston. Ralston flashed back in his mind to April, 1944, when the Howlers and Captain America had fought the Red Skull, then awoke in a hospital with Captain America at his side. He thanked Captain America for being there for him again.

(Incredible Hulk II#434) - When Nick Fury was seemingly killed by the Punisher, Senator Ralston and Tony Stark tried to advise the President to keep away from Fury's funeral because super-villains might attack, but the President insisted on attending.

(Incredible Hulk II#436) - In the guise of Lt. Dallas, Omnibus placed Senator Ralston under his mental control to turn over information he could use to fund his terrorist organization "the Alliance."

(Incredible Hulk II#437) - After the Hulk was captured by Major Matt Talbot, Senator Ralston observed Bruce Banner in custody, and refused to allow Talbot to simply kill Banner until the President had made a decision. Later, he attended a briefing on the Alliance alongside Talbot, Dum-Dum, Valentina De Fontaine, and Henry Peter Gyrich.

(Incredible Hulk II#439) - Senator Ralston and his allies continued to debate the Alliance, but they could not determine who the Alliance were or even represented.

(Incredible Hulk II#440 (fb)) - After the Hulk had claimed responsibility for the Alliance in order to serve as an enemy people could fight back against, Thor confronted Senator Ralston and the others to inform them that he would confront the Hulk.

(Uncanny X-Men#346 - BTS) - Senator Ralston was contacted by J. Jonah Jameson of the Daily Bugle as he searched for support against Bastion and Operation: Zero Tolerance. Ralston suggested that Jameson try Senator Robert Kelly, who was more sensitive to mutant issues, and a frustrated Jameson declared that next election he would vote Republican.

(Secret Warriors#17 (fb) ) - Ralston traveled to Sudan where he met many former Howling Commandos, John Garrett, Steve Rogers, Fury and Sharon Carter at Fury's Sandbox base for one last party together. Fury talked with Ralston for a moment about the support Fury's operation would get from the US Senate and Ralston only asked him how soon Fury needed the votes.

(Secret Warriors#18 (fb) ) - Ralston listened to a few good stories from the past.

(Secret Warriors#19 (fb) ) - Ralston toasted to the fallen Howlers.

(Secret Warriors#27) - Ralston spoke to the UN about the US president's plan for an international fund to provide economic, political and military stability in areas suffering from international terrorist threats. Ralston was appointed control over the fund.

(Secret Warriors#28) - Ralston picked up Sitwell and Dugan from UN prison and brought them to a limousine waiting for them with Fury and Garrett already inside.

Comments: Created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers.

An editor's note from Stan in Sgt. Fury#44 promised that we would one day get the story of how Reb overcame his prejudice against Gabe. We never did.

Avengers: Domination Factor#2-3 depicts a reality which diverges from the events of Sgt. Fury#13 when Captain America and the Vision time-travel to the events of that story. Fury and Ralston both appear in that reality.

At the end of Ka-Zar the Savage#34 (October, 1984) there is a back-up story that has Ka-Zar going to the Land of Cancelled Heroes. There is a ton of cameos from chacters whose books were cancelled including Reb Ralston.
--Paradox Factor

The Howling Commandos appeared in Captain America/Black Panther: Flags of Our Fathers#1-4 (June-September, 2010). Unfortunately the series just does not work well within Marvel continuity, which disqualifies their appearances in this series from this profile.
--Markus Raymond

Ralston has a profile in the All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update#1.

Profile by Prime Eternal

CLARIFICATIONS:
Robert "Reb" Ralston should not be confused with:

  • Ralston, valet of Geraldo Kabal, @ Werewolf by Night I#20

MR. AND MRS. RALSTON

The Ralstons were Reb's parents, and lived in a stately manor in Kentucky. When their home was invaded by bundists who were after material on the Manhattan Project stored nearby, Reb wound up being captured as well when he came home on furlough. The Howling Commandos came to the rescue of the Ralstons, and afterward they agreed to take care of Hans van Rooten, the Dutch boy who had been a mascot to the Howlers. Mr. Ralston once mailed his son a copy of the latest racing news.

--Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#24










Images taken from:
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#1, page 2
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#101, cover
Captain America Annual#9, page 25
Parents- Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#24, page 11, panel 1


Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#1-3 (May-September, 1963) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack Kirby (penciler), Dick Ayers (inker)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#4-7 (November, 1963-May, 1964) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack Kirby (penciler), George Roussos (inker)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#8-12 (July-November, 1964) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Dick Ayers (penciler), George Roussos (inker)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#13 (December, 1964) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack Kirby (penciler), Dick Ayers (inker)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#14 (January, 1965) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Dick Ayers (penciler), George Roussos (inker)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#15 (February, 1965) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Dick Ayers (penciler), Steve Ditko (inker)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#16 (March, 1965) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Dick Ayers (penciler), Frankie Ray (inker)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#17 (April, 1965) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Dick Ayers (penciler), Vince Colletta (inker)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#18 (May, 1965) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Dick Ayers (penciler), Chic Stone (inker)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#19-20 (June-July, 1965) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Dick Ayers (penciler), Frankie Ray (inker)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#21-22 (August-September, 1965) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Dick Ayers (penciler), Carl Hubbell (inker)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#23-24 (October-November, 1965) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Dick Ayers (penciler), Frankie Ray (inker)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#25 (December, 1965) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Dick Ayers (penciler), John Tartaglione (inker)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Annual#1 (1965) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Dick Ayers (penciler), Frankie Ray (inker)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#26 (January, 1966) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Dick Ayers (penciler), Carl Hubbell (inker)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#27-28 (February-March, 1966) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Dick Ayers (penciler), John Tartaglione (inker)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#29-32 (April-July, 1966) - Roy Thomas (writer), Dick Ayers (penciler), John Tartaglione (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#34-41 (April, 1966-April, 1967) - Roy Thomas (writer), Dick Ayers (penciler), John Tartaglione (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Annual#2 (1966) - Roy Thomas (writer), Dick Ayers (penciler), John Tartaglione (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#42-43 (May-June, 1967) - Gary Friedrich (writer), Dick Ayers (penciler), John Tartaglione (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#44 (July, 1967) - Gary Friedrich, Roy Thomas (writers), John Severin (artist), Stan Lee (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#45-46 (August-September, 1967) - Gary Friedrich (writer), John Severin (artist), Stan Lee (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#47-56 (October, 1967-July, 1968) - Gary Friedrich (writer), Dick Ayers (penciler), John Severin (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Annual#3 (1967) - Gary Friedrich (writer), Dick Ayers (penciler), John Tartaglione (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Captain Savage and his Leatherneck Raiders#1 (January, 1968) - Gary Friedrich (writer), Dick Ayers (penciler), Syd Shores (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#57 (August, 1968) - Gary Friedrich (writer), Tom Sutton (penciler), John Severin (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#58 (September, 1968) - Arnold Drake (writer), Dick Ayers (penciler), John Severin (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#59-61 (October-December, 1968) - Gary Friedrich (writer), Dick Ayers (penciler), John Severin (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#63-73 (February-December, 1969) - Gary Friedrich (writer), Dick Ayers (penciler), John Severin (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Annual#4 (1968) - Gary Friedrich (writer), Dick Ayers (penciler), John Severin (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Captain Savage and his Battlefield Raiders#11 (February, 1969) - Gary Friedrich (writer), Dick Ayers (penciler), Syd Shores (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#74 (January, 1970) - Archie Goodwin (writer), Dick Ayers (penciler), John Severin (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#75 (February, 1970) - Gary Friedrich (writer), Dick Ayers (penciler), John Severin (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#77-78 (April-May, 1970) - Bill Everett (writer), Dick Ayers (penciler), John Severin (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#79 (June, 1970) - Bill Everett, Gary Friedrich (writers), Dick Ayers (penciler), John Severin (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#81 (November, 1970) - Al Kurzrok (writer), Dick Ayers (penciler), John Severin (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#83 (January, 1971) - Gary Friedrich (writer), Dick Ayers (artist), Stan Lee (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#84 (February, 1971) - Al Kurzrok (writer), Dick Ayers (artist), Stan Lee (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#86 (April, 1971) - Gerry Conway (writer), Dick Ayers (penciler), Syd Shores (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#88, 90 (June, August, 1971) - Al Kurzrok (writer), Dick Ayers (penciler), Syd Shores (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#92 (October, 1971) - Al Kurzrok (writer), Herb Trimpe (penciler), Syd Shores (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#94 (December, 1971) - Gary Friedrich (writer), Dick Ayers (penciler), Syd Shores (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#96-97 (February-March, 1972) - Gary Friedrich (writer), Dick Ayers (penciler), Jim Mooney (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#98, 100 (April, July, 1972) - Gary Friedrich (writer), Dick Ayers (penciler), Mike Esposito (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#102, 104 (September, November, 1972) - Gary Friedrich (writer), Dick Ayers (penciler), Mike Esposito (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Combat Kelly and the Deadly Dozen#4 (December, 1972) Gary Friedrich (writer), Dick Ayers (penciler), Mike Esposito (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#106, 108, 110 (January-May, 1973) - Gary Friedrich (writer), Dick Ayers (penciler), Vince Colletta (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#112, 114-115 (September-October, 1973) - Gary Friedrich (writer), Dick Ayers (penciler), John Tartaglione (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#116 (November, 1973) - Gary Friedrich (writer), Dick Ayers (penciler), Vince Colletta (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#117 (January, 1974) - Gerry Conway, Marv Wolfman, Tony Isabella, Don McGregor (writers), Dick Ayers (penciler), Vince Colletta (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#118-119 (March-May, 1974) - Gerry Conway (writer), Dick Ayers (artist), Roy Thomas (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#120 (July, 1974) - Larry Lieber (writer), Dick Ayers (artist), Roy Thomas (editor)
Invaders I#35 (December, 1978) - Roy Thomas (writer/editor), Alan Kupperberg (penciler), Don Heck (inker)
Doctor Strange II#50-51 (December, 1981-February, 1982) - Roger Stern (writer), Marshall Rogers (penciler), Terry Austin (inker), Al Milgrom (editor)
Captain America I#273-274 (September-October, 1982) - David Kraft (writer), Mike Zeck (penciler), John Beatty (inker), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. II#3-5 (November-December, 1989) - Bob Harras (writer), Keith Pollard (penciler), Kim DeMulder (inker), Gregory Wright (editor)
Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. II#11 (May, 1990) - Alan Grant (writer), Cam Kennedy (artist), Gregory Wright (editor)
Captain America Annual#9 (1990) - Randall Frenz (writer), Mark Bagley (penciler), Mike DeCarlo (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Captain America I#383 (March, 1991) - Tom DeFalco (writer), Ron Frenz (penciler), Bob Petrecca (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Marvel Comics Presents#77-79 (1991) - Doug Murray (writer), Tom Lyle (penciler), Josef Rubinstein, Art Nichols (inkers), Terry Kavanagh (editor)
Incredible Hulk II#434 (October, 1995) - Peter David (writer), Justiniano (penciler), Al Milgrom (inker), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Incredible Hulk II#436-437 (December, 1995-January, 1996) - Peter David (writer), Angel Medina (penciler), Robin Riggs (inker), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Incredible Hulk II#439-440 (March-April, 1996) - Peter David (writer), Angel Medina (penciler), Robin Riggs (inker), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Captain America III#20-21 (August-September, 1999) - Bill Rosemann (writer), Vince Evans (artist), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Gambit III#10 (November, 1999) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Steve Skroce (penciler), Rob Hunter (inker), Mark Powers (editor)
Captain America III#32 (August, 2000) - Dan Jurgens (writer), Jerry Ordway (artist), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Citizen V and the V Battalion#1-2 (June-July, 2001) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Michael Ryan (penciler), Sean Parsons (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Captain America/Nick Fury: The Otherworld War#1 (October, 2001) - Peter Hogan (writer), Leonardo Manco (artist), Bobbie Chase (editor)
The Twelve#1 (March, 2008) - J. Michael Straczynski (writer), Chris Weston (penciler), Garry Leach (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Dark Reign: New Nation#1 (February, 2009) - Brian Michael Bendis, Jonathan Hickman (writers), Stefano Caselli (artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos II#1 (July, 2009) - Jesse Alexander (writer), John Paul Leon (artist), Mark Paniccia (editor)
Secret Warriors#17-19 (August-October, 2010) - Jonathan Hickman (writer), Alessandro Vitti (artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Secret Warriors#27-28 (July-September, 2011) - Jonathan Hickman (writer), Alessandro Vitti (artist), Lauren Sankovitch (editor)

First Posted: 07/15/2006
Last updated: 03/23/2013

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™  and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com

Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!

Back to Characters