G.I. Joes: A lifetime of public service

Courtesy Photo | Action Figure  

05.31.2006

Courtesy Story

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He wanted to make a difference by becoming part of something larger than himself.

Holding an advanced degree in journalism, as well as a master's degree in electrical engineering, Leonard Michaels joined the U.S. Army.

Nicknamed "Scoop" by his military peers, the Chicago-born journalist could have had a secure future with any number of network news teams.

Instead, he opted for service to his country because he liked being on the spot when the news was being made, not reporting the aftermath.

"The other Soldiers were a bit put off by Scoop at first," said a friend of Michaels. "They resented having a 'third wheel" tagging along lugging 60 pounds of video equipment and not much firepower."

His comrades-in-arms, however, quickly changed their minds after witnessing Scoop carry a wounded Soldier two clicks to an extremely dangerous evacuation site for liftoff to a medical facility.

Scoop's story isn't uncommon. Even though he's manufactured from tiny screws and cheap plastic, this 3 and ¾ inch tall G.I. Joe remains a 'real American Hero."

Since its introduction in 1964, G.I. Joe has been one of the most popular toys for boys.

The Hasbro Company created G.I. Joe as the first action figure doll for boys.

A real G.I. is an enlisted person in the U.S. armed forces.

He stood a foot tall, had moveable joints so that he could be posed in many different ways, and he wore military fatigues, dog tags, and boots. As a war toy, G.I. Joe joined a long tradition of military toys for boys.

Hasbro hoped to repeat the popularity of the Barbie doll, the beautiful and popular doll for girls that was introduced in 1959.

But getting boys to accept the idea of playing with a doll took some work. Hasbro overcame boys' dislike of dolls by making its doll a military figure.

G.I. Joe was everything Barbie was not: rugged, bearded, and with a scar on his face to let everyone know that G.I. Joe was a man of action.

Like Barbie, Hasbro offered countless accessories for the G.I. Joe dolls. G.I. Joe drove a military jeep, carried guns and grenades, and wore combat boots.

In this way, Hasbro made the G.I. Joe attractive to boys and overcame the stigma of playing with dolls.

G.I. Joe was not a doll, Hasbro said, but rather an

• Date Taken: 05.31.2006
• Date Posted: 05.31.2006 09:16
• Story ID: 6589