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"Haunted Tank: "The Ghost of the Haunted Tank!"": The ghost of General J.E.B. Stuart visits his descendant Lt. Jeb to issue a cryptic warning of the danger that lies before the little tank crew, telling him that their only hope for survival if for their tank to take wings and fly. During Jeb's c

Quote1 You hear him, Slim-- You see him! Now-- Don't tell me I'm not talking to the ghost of General Stuart! Quote2
Lt. Jeb Stuart

G.I. Combat #95 is an issue of the series G.I. Combat (Volume 1) with a cover date of September, 1962.

Synopsis for Haunted Tank: "The Ghost of the Haunted Tank!"

The ghost of General J.E.B. Stuart visits his descendant Lt. Jeb to issue a cryptic warning of the danger that lies before the little tank crew, telling him that their only hope for survival if for their tank to take wings and fly. During Jeb's conversation with the ghost, both Rick and Arch overhear him talking and begin to worry that maybe their lieutenant is beginning to crack under the pressure of war. Arch tells the others to keep an eye on Jeb, worried.

As their tank make a turn on the road, they are attacked by the German's M88s. Jeb orders Rick to take them off the road and into the trees. The German artillery barrage follows them through the woods and into a clearing, and the Haunted Tank is pinned when the ground gives way into a deep river blocking their path. Jeb spots a large wooden raft floating past left over from the infantry's earlier movements and, remembering the General's earlier message, orders Slim to hit the gas hard. The tank leaps off the embankment and miraculously lands square on the floating raft. The impact knocks the four crewmembers unconscious, leaving them vulnerable to the German Tiger tank on the shore. As the Tiger moves around to get a shot at the floating American tank, General J.E.B. Stuart's ghost appears again and moves Lt. Jeb's hand to the trigger of the cannon. The Haunted Tank fires, and the German Tiger is destroyed. As the crew begin to regain consciousness, Jeb tries to explain to Slim that the ghost had saved them but to no avail. Slim returns into the tank, telling the others that Jeb may be beginning to crack. Overhearing them, Jeb begins to believe that maybe he's been imagining the whole thing all along.

As the Haunted Tank returns to the road and back on their mission, they discover a squad of six Tiger tanks waiting in a field for the approach of the American infantry. Jeb knows that they are no match for that many Tigers, so he orders Slim to move full speed ahead towards the Tigers but for Rick and Arch to hold their fire. He hopes that the Tigers will believe that they're one of the German's own camouflaged tanks used for ambush attacks. Confused, the Germans train their 88s on the little tank and radio them for identification. Jeb orders Rick to answer with a shell fired into the third Tiger tank. The third Tiger explodes, and Slim moves the tank straight through the Tiger line. Two Tigers turn their turrets to try and catch the tank as it's moving through, but their cannons are too high and both are caught in the crossfire. Jeb quickly gets on the radio and requests an artillery barrage on their coordinates immediately. The shelling starts, and the remaining three Tigers are destroyed. With the battle over, the ghost of the General appears before Jeb once again. Slim hears Jeb talking to himself again and pops out of the tank. When he sees no one there, he puts Jeb under arrest and tying his hands behind his back to keep him safe. Jeb argues and pleads with them to believe him, but the others are certain that Jeb has flipped and needs a rest away from the fighting. With Jeb under arrest, Slim moves up above to take command.

Continuing on, Slim orders the Haunted Tank to move into the tree line off the road. Below, Jeb struggles to release himself from his bonds, worried that since the General has only appeared to him alone, there would be no one to warn them if they are rolling into a trap. As Slim watches while they enter the trees, the ghost of General Stuart appears before him to warn that the woods are a trap! Slim is stunned at the ghost's sudden appearance, and questions him about his warning. General Stuart tells him that the ground conceals a very special trap. Slim orders the tank full speed ahead, and finds a camouflaged ramp leading down to an underground bunker where the Germans are hiding their Tigers and ammo. Slim fires directly down into the bunker, and the ammo explodes destroying both the bunker and the Tiger tanks within. Slim immediately unties Jeb and apologizes for thinking that he was losing his mind, and Jeb thanks the General for looking after their little tank.

Appearing in Haunted Tank: "The Ghost of the Haunted Tank!"

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  • Unnamed German Artillerymen

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Synopsis for "Deliver-- One Hero!"


Appearing in "Deliver-- One Hero!"

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Synopsis for "Grounded at 10,000 Feet"


Appearing in "Grounded at 10,000 Feet"

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Trivia

  • This issue marks the first time the crew of the Haunted Tank begin to question Jeb Stuart's sanity for talking to ghosts, and the first time anyone other than Jeb, Slim Stryker, is able to see the ghost of General J.E.B. Stuart.


See Also


Links and References

Superboy Vol 4 69
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