Gung-Ho is a fictional character from the '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' toyline, comic books, and animated series. He is the G.I. Joe Team's original Marine and debuted in 1983.

Profile

Gung-Ho's real name is Ettienne R. LaFitte, and his rank was originally that of a Gunnery Sergeant E-7. He was later promoted to Sergeant Major E-9 (USMC). Gung-Ho was born into a large

Cajun The Cajuns (; French: ''les Cadjins'' or ''les Cadiens'' ), also known as Louisiana ''Acadians'' (French: ''les Acadiens''), are a Louisiana French ethnicity mainly found in the U.S. state of Louisiana. While Cajuns are usually described as ...

clan, in the fictional Fer-de-Lance,

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...

. His primary military specialty is recondo instructor and his secondary military specialty is jungle warfare training instructor. He eventually moved to

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

, earning a reputation as a bare-knuckle brawler and knife fighter. He joined the Marines at age 18, and was the distinguished honor graduate from Marine Corps Recruit Depot

Parris Island Parris is both a given name and surname. Notable people with the name include: Given name * Parris Afton Bonds, American novelist * Parris Campbell (born 1997), American football player * Parris Duffus (born 1970), retired American ice hockey go ...

. Gung-Ho has attended Airborne School, Recondo School, Marine Ordnance School, Administration School at Camp Johnson, and is a qualified expert in all

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...

infantry small arms, most

Warsaw Pact The Warsaw Pact (WP) or Treaty of Warsaw, formally the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, was a collective defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Poland, between the Soviet Union and seven other Eastern Bloc socialist republic ...

infantry weapons and the XM-76 grenade launcher. Gung-Ho is known for his lack of fear on the battlefield, as well as his legendary feats of near-superhuman strength. His teammates have come to rely on his selfless bravery, strength and perseverance. After the team was temporarily disbanded and reinstated, Gung-Ho was offered a position as a field commander. His expertise in the swamps of Louisiana helped him lead a mission to invade and shut down the Dreadnok compound in the Florida Everglades.

Toys

Gung-Ho was first released as an action figure in 1983. He was also released as an action figure in his dress blues uniform in 1987. A new version of Gung-Ho was released in 1992. That figure was repainted and released as part of the "Battle Corps" line in 1993. A new version of Gung-Ho was released as an action figure in 1993, as commander of the "Mega Marines" subset. The Mega-Marines are several Joes teaming up to battle Cobra-allied monsters. His figure came with "moldable bio-armor". A version of Gung-Ho with no accessories came with the

Built to Rule Built to Rule is a building blocks toyline from Hasbro that is compatible with such leading brands as Lego. These sets were released from 2003 to 2005. Sets are usually based upon existing toys and characters from the Hasbro brand, such as Tonka, ...

Rock Crusher, which followed the '' G.I. Joe: Spy Troops'' story line. The forearms and the calves of the figure sported places where blocks could be attached. In 2004, he was released as part of the Toys R Us exclusive "Desert Patrol Squad" set, which also included the figures

Ambush An ambush is a long-established military tactics, military tactic in which a combatant uses an advantage of concealment or the element of surprise to attack unsuspecting enemy combatants from concealed positions, such as among dense underbru ...

Dusty Dusty may refer to: Places in the United States * Dusty, New Mexico, an unincorporated community * Dusty, Washington, an unincorporated community * Dusty Glacier, Washington People * Dusty (given name) * Dusty (nickname) * Slim Dusty, Austra ...

, Snake Eyes, Stalker and

Tunnel Rat The tunnel rats were American, Australian, New Zealander, and South Vietnamese soldiers who performed underground search and destroy missions during the Vietnam War. Later, similar teams were used by the Soviet Army during the Soviet–Afghan ...

25th Anniversary

* Gung-Ho has been released in the first G.I. Joe set alongside

Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...

, Scarlett, Snake Eyes, and

Roadblock A roadblock is a temporary installation set up to control or block traffic along a road. The reasons for one could be: *Roadworks *Temporary road closure during special events *Police chase *Robbery * Sobriety checkpoint In peaceful circumstances ...

. * He has been released in wave 5. * Comic Pack Gung-Ho &

Cobra Commander Cobra Commander is a fictional character and the main antagonist of the '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' franchise. He is the supreme leader of the terrorist organization Cobra and the archenemy of the G.I. Joe Team. He was portrayed by Josep ...

(who is actually

Fred VII Cobra is the fictional nemesis of the G.I. Joe Team in the Hasbro toylines and related media. This is an alphabetical listing of Cobra members with unique identities as well as the members of its factions. Alexander McCullen Alexander McCullen ...

) also has been released.

Comics

Marvel Comics

In the Marvel Comics ''

G.I. Joe ''G.I. Joe'' is an American media franchise and a line of action figures owned and produced by the toy company Hasbro. The initial product offering represented four of the branches of the U.S. armed forces with the Action Soldier ( U.S. Army), Ac ...

'' series, he first appeared in ''G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' #11 (May 1983) where it was revealed that he has a kid sister who is a successful child model. In the same issue, he helps defeat Cobra forces who were spreading a plague and stealing valuable radioactive materials. He is one of many Joes sent to Sierra Gordo in an attempt to clear up multiple hotspots. The

Baroness Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knig ...

almost kills his entire group with a bombing run from a Rattler but they escape unharmed. The Baroness also bombs a nearby island, making the Joes think they just witnessed the death of Snake Eyes. He was one of the Joes picked to guard Cobra Commander. The ninja

Storm Shadow Storm Shadow is an Anglo-French low-observable, long-range, air-launched cruise missile developed since 1994 by Matra and British Aerospace, and now manufactured by MBDA. Storm Shadow is the weapon's British appellation. In French service, it is ...

eventually frees the Commander who escapes to safety. Storm Shadow and Gung-Ho injure each other during the incident. Storm Shadow is defeated and captured by

. An attempt at relaxation leads Gung-Ho and

Blowtorch A blowtorch, also referred to as a blowlamp, is an ambient air fuel-burning gas lamp used for applying flame and heat to various applications, usually metalworking. Early blowtorches used liquid fuel, carried in a refillable reservoir attache ...

to confront

Crimson Guard The Crimson Guard is an elite organization within the fictional G.I. Joe universe. They are members of Cobra Command, the nemesis of the G.I. Joe team. They are often referred to by a phonetic spelling of their organization's initials, as "Sieg ...

smen at a local fair. During Cobra's first civil war (both take place on

Cobra Island Cobra (sometimes referred to as Cobra Command) is a fictional terrorist organization and the nemesis of the G.I. Joe Team in the Hasbro action figure toyline ''G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' and ''G.I. Joe: Sigma 6'', as well as in related med ...

) Gung-Ho is part of an advanced recon team. They go through multiple incidents of trouble such as almost being caught by

Iron Grenadiers Cobra (sometimes referred to as Cobra Command) is a fictional terrorist organization and the nemesis of the G.I. Joe Team in the Hasbro action figure toyline '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' and '' G.I. Joe: Sigma 6'', as well as in related m ...

and taking over Cobra's air traffic control tower. The latter allows a Joe landing force to arrive.

Action Force

In the

Action Force Action Force is a brand of European action figures released in the 1980s that was based on the ''Action Man'' toyline. It was also used to introduce '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' toys to European markets. Several publishing companies have ...

comic line, Gung-Ho is badly wounded by Storm Shadow during a confrontation in a Cobra base. He lives, but must receive long-term medical attention.

Devil's Due

He is featured in the first four issues of the Devil's Due series ''G.I. Joe: Frontlines'', which chronicles the last mission of the original run of the G.I. Joe team. Along with others, he battles various Cobra forces in order to keep valuable technology out of their hands. This takes the Joes all the way to

Destro Laird James McCullen Destro XXIV, usually referred to simply as Destro, is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books, and cartoon series. He is the leader of the Iron Grenadiers, and founder of M.A.R.S. ...

's 'Silent Castle' in Trans-Carpathia. He is one of the few initially brought back when the G.I. Joe team is reinstated in 2001. The old Joes meet the new group of trainees, the " Greenshirts", whom they will be commanding. Gung-Ho then joins in on the attack on the multi-Cobra force stationed in the

Dreadnoks Cobra (sometimes referred to as Cobra Command) is a fictional terrorist organization and the nemesis of the G.I. Joe Team in the Hasbro action figure toyline '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' and '' G.I. Joe: Sigma 6'', as well as in related m ...

complex in the

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

Everglades The Everglades is a natural region of tropical climate, tropical wetlands in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Florida, comprising the southern half of a large drainage basin within the Neotropical realm. The system begins near Orland ...

. Gung-Ho and the other Joes become contaminated by multi-function nanites set off by Major Bludd. Thanks to the efforts of Lifeline, Mainframe, and recruited civilians, they are soon cured.

Animated series

Sunbow

Gung-Ho appeared in the original ''

'' animated series. He first appeared in the animated series in the "A Real American Hero" mini-series. He was voiced by

Chris Latta Christopher Charles Collins (born Christopher Lawrence Latta; August 30, 1949 – June 12, 1994) was an American actor and stand-up comedian. He is best known as the voice of Cobra Commander in the '' G.I. Joe'' animated series and Starscream i ...

in a southern accent, despite the fact that he is of French Cajun ancestry. In the first-season episode "Countdown for Zartan", Gung-Ho imprisons

Zartan Zartan is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books, and animated series. He is one of the main villains in the franchise as the leader of the Dreadnoks, and a mercenary who often worked directly for Cobra ...

within a defense center, where Zartan has planted a time bomb. Gung-Ho secretly sets Zartan's watch two minutes early and lets him watch the time run out, pressuring Zartan into giving the location of the bomb. In the two-part episode "Captives of Cobra", the Baroness attempts to kidnap and brainwash Gung-Ho's family, but her troops are defeated and captured by his relatives and she herself flees after they attempt to show her hospitality. Gung-Ho is then scolded by his grandmother about his not visiting home enough. One episode had the Joes working together along with their Soviet counterparts, the

Oktober Guard The following list (organized by faction) covers every known character in the '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' toy line to have received his/her own action figure. It includes the year the characters' version 1 action figure debuted, their c ...

. Gung-Ho comes into conflict with Guard member Horrorshow, with whom he trades insults, but they put aside their differences and work together against Cobra. The two would later join forces once more to prevent Cobra from stealing Alaska from the United States.

G.I. Joe: The Movie

Gung-Ho plays a minor but critical role in '' G.I. Joe: The Movie''. He,

Alpine Alpine may refer to any mountainous region. It may also refer to: Places Europe * Alps, a European mountain range ** Alpine states, which overlap with the European range Australia * Alpine, New South Wales, a Northern Village * Alpine National Pa ...

and

Bazooka Bazooka () is the common name for a Man-portable anti-tank systems, man-portable recoilless Anti-tank warfare, anti-tank rocket launcher weapon, widely deployed by the United States Army, especially during World War II. Also referred to as the ...

are charged with guarding the captured

Serpentor Serpentor is a fictional character and a recurring antagonist from the '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' toyline, comic books, and animated series. Introduced in 1986, the character rules as Emperor over Cobra. Serpentor serves as the primary a ...

Lt. Falcon Falcon (also known as Lieutenant Falcon) is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and animated series. He is a U.S. Army Special Forces, Green Beret with the G.I. Joe Team and debuted in 1987. Profile ...

is supposed to be guarding the front, but leaves his post. As a result, all three Joes are attacked by the Dreadnoks and Nemesis Enforcer. Gung-Ho sounds the alarm before Serpentor escapes.

Valor vs. Venom

Gung-Ho appeared in the direct-to-video CGI animated movie '' G.I. Joe: Valor vs. Venom'', voiced by

Scott McNeil Scott McNeil is an Australian-born Canadian actor. He currently resides in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. One of the best-known Canadian voice actors of all time, McNeil has provided voices to many characters in animated shows, most notabl ...

Resolute

Gung-Ho appears in '' G.I. Joe: Resolute'' as one of the many Joes seen on the U.S.S. Flagg. He, Roadblock, Stalker, and

Beachhead A beachhead is a temporary line created when a military unit reaches a landing beach by sea and begins to defend the area as other reinforcements arrive. Once a large enough unit is assembled, the invading force can begin advancing inland. The ...

head to a H.A.A.R.P. Facility where the Baroness and Destro are holding H.A.A.R.P. Scientist hostage. While Stalker and Beachhead went to go free the scientist, Gung-Ho and Roadblock engage the Cobra troops then engaged Destro and Baroness in a gun fight and were able to capture them.

Video games

Gung-Ho is one of the featured characters in the 1985 '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' computer game. He is a non-playable supporting character in the 1992 game '' G.I. Joe: The Atlantis Factor''. Gung-Ho appears as a playable character in the video game '' G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra'', voiced by

Steve Blum Steven Jay Blum (; born April 29, 1960) is an American voice actor. Known for his distinctively deep voice, his most well-known roles include Spike Spiegel from the anime series '' Cowboy Bebop'', Garazeb Orrelios from the animated series '' ...

Books

Gung-Ho is a featured character in the 'Find Your Fate' novel 'G.I. Joe and the Everglades Swamp Terror' produced by

Ballantine Books Ballantine Books is a major book publisher located in the United States, founded in 1952 by Ian Ballantine with his wife, Betty Ballantine. It was acquired by Random House in 1973, which in turn was acquired by Bertelsmann in 1998 and remains ...

Other media

* Gung-Ho appeared in the '' Robot Chicken'' episode "Day at the Circus", voiced by Seth Green. He left with

Flint Flint, occasionally flintstone, is a sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as the variety of chert that occurs in chalk or marly limestone. Flint was widely used historically to make stone tools and start fir ...

and

on a mission only to partake in a prank upon Snow Job. * Gung-Ho is featured in the ''

Weezer Weezer is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1992. Since 2001, the band has consisted of Rivers Cuomo (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Patrick Wilson (drums, backing vocals), Scott Shriner (bass guitar, keyboards, backing ...

'' music video for their song ''

Pork and Beans Pork and beans is a culinary dish that uses pork and beans as its main ingredients. Numerous variations exist, usually with a more specific name, such as Fabada Asturiana, Olla podrida, or American canned pork and beans. American canned pork a ...

'' (2008).

References

External links

Gung-Ho
at JMM's G.I. Joe Comics Home Page
Gung-Ho
at YOJOE.com {{G.I. Joe Comics characters introduced in 1983 Fictional Cajuns Fictional characters from Louisiana Fictional commanders Fictional gunfighters Fictional gunnery sergeants Fictional military sergeants Fictional United States Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance personnel G.I. Joe soldiers Male characters in animated series Male characters in comics