Long live GI Joe
Armed Forces Day is coming up soon, May 16, before my next column is scheduled to run. Following is a copy of my “Wonderin’ GI” column in August 1953 in the Great Falls Air Force Base newspaper. Written 56 years ago, I think it still holds true today, although “GI Joan” should be added to GI Joe:
Official government correspondence no longer refers to the serviceman as ”GI Joe.” Instead, Joe has been given an alias – soldier, sailor, airman, or marine. As far as the government is concerned, the term GI Joe has been retired, after years of faithful service, to the archives of amended and superseded letters and regs.
As far as the public is concerned, however, GI Joe has never gone into retirement. He is still very much alive and active in the public eye. Alias or not, he is still recognized.
The popular conception of Joe classifies him a fighting man, one with a gun in hand or bomb under wing, ready to fight to protect his country against enemies.
True, that is one side of Joe’s nature. But Joe has another “fighting” side to him. This is shown in times of public emergency when Joe shows his true nature by throwing caution to the winds and sacrificing his personal safety to battle sometimes overwhelming odds to aid those in distress.
Where forest fires rage out of control, who is there to lend a helping hand to civilian firefighters, volunteers and forestry personnel? GI Joe.
Where there are floods, who is there working with townspeople to turn back the waters, sandbagging and performing rescue work? GI Joe.
Where there are earthquakes, who is there to help the injured, evacuate the stranded, and to supply food and medicine to those in need? GI Joe.
When campers, hikers or children get lost in desolate areas, who is often called to help search for them? GI Joe.
When an aircraft goes down somewhere, who is it that frequently spearheads the search? GI Joe.
When cattle are stranded on open range by blizzards, who helps get hay to them? GI Joe.
Who is a major supporter of orphanages in war torn countries, where thousands of children have lost their parents? GI Joe.
Yes, and who is it that even will save a scrap of meat from chow to take back to some mongrel mascot? GI Joe.
So GI Joe is in retirement? Not a chance. Whether it’s a forest fire in Montana, floods in England, earthquakes in Greece, lost kids in California, blood transfusions in Korea, blizzards in Nevada, or Boy Scout hikers needing supply drops in Idaho, GI Joe will be right there to lend a helping hand.
Long live GI Joe!