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The name Gung-Ho refers to several versions of the same character.
For a list of the other versions, see Gung-Ho.


Gung-Ho is a G.I. Joe character in the A Real American Hero and G.I. Joe vs. Cobra series. The name Gung Ho also redirects to this page.
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Gung-Ho is described as the craziest and scariest jarhead to come out from Parris Island. His esprit-de-corps attitude is infectious especially when he gets out and fights Cobra forces head on, man-to-man. Born on the bayou, Gung-Ho was part of a large Cajun clan. He earned the reputation as a tough brawler and knife-fighter in New Orleans. He joined the Marines at age 18 and graduated top of class in Parris Island. A proud Marine through-and-through, he isn't shy about exhibiting that huge USMC tattoo on his chest.

Fiction[]

Comics[]

A Real American Hero Continuity[]

Marvel Comics Continuity[]

Gung-Ho was among the number of Joes who were sent to provide backup for a team investigating Cobra activity near the Alaskan oil pipeline. His bravado and showing off he can survive the freezing temperature of Alaska only served to annoy Rock 'n Roll. He did show what he is really made of by single-handedly taking on several Cobra Troopers.[1] Gung-Ho was one of the Joes picked to guard Cobra Commander. The ninja Storm Shadow eventually frees the Commander; the ninja and Gung-Ho injure each other during the incident[2]. When Snake Eyes went to the hospital to cheer him up, Gung-Ho recognized the tattoo on his wrist as the same one Storm Shadow had.[3]

Devil's Due Comics Continuity[]

G.I. Joe Reloaded[]

G.I. Joe vs. Transformers[]

Action Force (British) Comics Continuity[]

During the Vietnam War, Gung-Ho served with the future Action Force members Wild Bill, Roadblock and Leatherneck. He was also part of the Orpheus 45th Airborne Cavalry team, where he got on with all his comrades bar one called Rankine. During an operating over the Mekong Delta in 1972, the 45th's helicopter was shot down, with Gung-Ho seemingly the only survivor.[4]

Gung-Ho was part of the American branch of Action Force but sometimes visited the European team on missions. He took part in a direct assault on Cobra's London base, during which he was wounded by Storm Shadow and he glimpsed the ninja's tattoo.[5] He was shipped back to the United States for medical treatment, where he told Snake Eyes about the tattoo.[6] He subsequently undertook further missions for Action Force in the Americas.[7]

When Gung-Ho learnt of reports of a terrorist group operating in Vietnam called "Hades", with members wearing old US Army uniforms, he defied orders and returned to Vietnam to investigate. He made his way through the Delta to a section known as the Dead Waters, because of chemicals released during the war. There he discovered that "Hades" consisted of about twenty of his comrades who had survived, but been manipulated and brainwashed by Cobra into believing that the war was still continuing. With the help of an Action Force team who came in pursuit of him, Gung-Ho rescued his surviving old comrades and ended the Cobra operation.[8]

Blackthorne Comics Continuity[]

Dreamwave Comics Continuity[]

Hasbro Comics Continuity[]

Animated Continuity[]

Sunbow Animated Series[]

Gung-ho

Gung-Ho from the A Real American Hero animated Continuity.

RAH Gungho01

Gung-Ho tries out his new deodorant

Gung-Ho defended a G.I. Joe base when Cobra assaulted it. After the theft of a spy satellite, he went with the other Joes in following a lead and ends up rescuing Dr. Vandermeer from the clutches of the evil organization.[9] He finally gets the chance to flex his combat muscles by partaking in the mission to get a meteor from the crater of a volcano. Sure enough, Cobra arrives and takes the meteor from the Joes. He was among the first wave to board Cobra's heli-carrier where he proved his strength against a horde of Cobra Troopers.[10] He would get even more action storming the Cobra Castle in a fight to end the M.A.S.S. Device crisis. At the end of the battle, he savors the moment of putting Cobra Commander in custody.[11]

The next deployment he is on has him do so again when Cobra Commander literally drops in on him after Lady Jaye struck a CLAW out from above Cobra Commander during the latter's theft of a component from a massive weapon the Joes were transporting.

DiC Animated Series[]

Direct-to-Video Series[]

Toys[]

Generation 1
Gung-Ho A Real American Hero (1983)

Gung-Ho is part of the 1983 edition of G.I. Joe action figures.


Appearance: dark green hat; bald with brown mustache; open light blue vest; blue Marine tattoo on chest; green/light blue camouflage pants; grey boots.

Accessories: fairly large, light blue pouch backpack; black XM-76 grenade launcher.


YoJoe.com page/Filecard

Military Dress Gung-Ho A Real American Hero (1987)

The second version of Gung-Ho was released in 1987 and is the only Joe member to be shown in a traditional military dress uniform.


Appearance: Marine Dress Uniform; white military cap with gold Marine emblem and black bill; bald with brown mustache; dark blue Marine dress jacket with red trim; white gloves; white belt and hook for sword; blue slacks with red stripes on outside legs; black shoes

Accessories: gold decorative saber; gold sword; with some effort the cap is removable and may be considered an accessory; stickers were either already applied to the figure or on a separate sheet.


YoJoe.com page/Filecard

Gung-Ho A Real American Hero (1992)
Gung-Ho was part of the 1992 series of A Real American Hero toys.----

Appearance: bald with black mustache; black headband; green vest with open collar and black stripes; ammo belt on chest; black right armband; beige pants with brown belt, holster, and boots

Accessories: rectangular, black pouch backpack (with sculpted rope and canteen); huge black machine gun with handle on top, single grip, and triangular stock; black spring-loaded missile launcher with shoulder rest and blue trigger; blue missile with extra-thick tip; United States flag on black flagpole; black figure stand.

Variations: Briefly available in early 1993 on a Battle Corps card with Battle Corps accessories.


YoJoe.com page/Filecard

Battle Corps Gung-Ho Battle Corps (1993)
Gung-Ho was part of the 1993 series of A Real American Hero toys, as figure #16 in the Battle Corps.----

Appearance: bald with black moustache; black headband; red vest with open collar and black stripes; ammo belt on chest; black right armband; olive green pants with brown belt, holster

Accessories: black "'92 Gung-Ho" backpack; black "'92 Gung-Ho" heavy machine gun; black "Gung-Ho" spring-loaded launcher and blue missile; "'92 Gung-Ho" US flag with black flagpole.


YoJoe.com page/Filecard

Mega Marines Gung-Ho Mega-Marines (1993)
One of the few actual Marines on the team, Gung-Ho becomes the Mega Marines commander in 1993.----

Appearance: bald with black mustache; green shirt and pants with black vest; neon yellow armor on chest, shoulders, waist, and legs; neon yellow arms and boots

Accessories: orange helmet with mouthpiece; black "Muskrat" shotgun; black "Tracker" submachine gun; black "'91 Grunt" machine gun; black "Muskrat" machete; orange "'93 Duke" missile launcher with orange trigger; two black "Bazooka" missiles; neon yellow-green bio-armor mold; black figure stand.


YoJoe.com page/Filecard

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Trivia[]

  • Gung-Ho is the only member of the Joe team to have a fictional birthplace.
  • The tattoo visible on the chest of the 1983 Gung-Ho figure is not the real Marine Corps insignia, due to trademark issues.
  • Hasbro artist Ron Rudat based Gung-Ho on his father and uncle—both Marines. His father even wore a similar hat.
  • As revealed in the first G.I. Joe miniseries, Gung-Ho treats his gun like a child and talks to it.

See Also[]

External Links[]

Footnotes[]

  1. The Pipeline Ploy!
  2. The Commander Escapes!
  3. Zartan!
  4. Rogue Delta!
  5. Fast Feud!
  6. Zartan! The reprintings of US material sometimes supplied their own explanation for events referred to.
  7. Comprising the UK printings of Celebration!, Twin Brothers, Hydrofoil, Strategic Diplomacy, Who's Who On Cobra Island, Slaughter, Serpentor, The Battle of Springfield, Snap Decisions & Pit-Fall. From this point onwards the Action Force continuity follows the same track as that of the US comics with some additions.
  8. Rogue Delta!
  9. The Cobra Strikes
  10. Duel in the Devil's Cauldron
  11. A Stake in the Serpent's Heart



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