BLITZKRIEG SQUAD

Membership: Baron Wolfgang von Strucker, Colonel Klaue, Ernst Mueller, Fritz von Sydow, Ludwig Schroeder, Manfred Adler, Otto Rabe, Siegfried Farber

Purpose: To defeat the Howling Commandos

Affiliations: The Teutonic Knight

Enemies: Nina Bergson, Winston Churchill, Howling Commandos (Isadore "Izzy" Cohen, Timothy "Dum-Dum" Dugan, Nick Fury, Gabe Jones, Dino Manelli, Percival "Pinky" Pinkerton, Robert "Reb" Ralston), Invaders (Captain America, Human Torch (Jim Hammond), Spitfire, Sub-Mariner, Union Jack (Brian Falsworth)), Maulers, General Bernard Lee Montgomery, Jim Morita

Aliases: Blitz Squad

Base of Operations: Mobile, based out of Germany during World War II

First Appearance: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#14 (January, 1965)

History: (Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#14) - Ordered by Adolf Hitler to find some way to defeat Sgt. Nick Fury and his Howling Commandos, Baron Wolfgang von Strucker spent hours studying the files on the Howlers. He finally concluded that the best way to defeat them would be to create a commando squad of Nazis who could match each of the Howlers' skills. He recruited the strongman Siegfried to match "Dum-Dum" Dugan; the flute player Otto to match Gabe Jones; the mechanic Ludwig to face "Izzy" Cohen; the charming Fritz to counter Dino Manelli; the horseriding Ernst to defeat "Reb" Ralston; and the aristrocrat Manfred to face "Pinky" Pinkerton. Strucker personally trained the six men under his command, until he was satisfied that they were the equals of the Howling Commandos, and called them his Blitzkrieg Squad.

For their first mission together, Strucker constructed a phony V-2 rocket site in German territory that was situated under cover that would prevent aerial bombardment, predicting that the Allies would send the Howling Commandos as a ground force. Strucker was correct, and the Blitzkrieg Squad lay in wait within the phony site to face their opposite numbers. They each fought with their counterparts, but the Howlers managed to evade them and fled the site, disguised in Nazi uniforms.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#20) - The Blitzkrieg Squad invaded Kerrydale Castle, Scotland to release a number of Luftwaffe being held prisoner there. When the British responded by forming lines around the castle, Strucker used the soldiers who had been guarding the castle as hostages in an attempt to escape. The Howling Commandos were parachuted into the castle to stop Strucker, and the Howlers triumphed over each of their counterparts. In the end, Strucker and the entire squad were turned over to the military.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#22) - The Blitzkrieg Squad engaged the Howling Commandos again on a mission in Romania. Each of them again fought with their counterpart, and were quickly defeated. The Howlers left the beaten Blitzkrieg Squad defeated upon the battlefield while they continued on their assignment.

(Invaders I#30) - The Teutonic Knight created a diversion for the Blitzkrieg Squad by attacking London with der Fliegentod so that the Squad could assassinate Winston Churchill and General Bernard Law Montgomery. As they were sneaking up upon the meeting place, they noticed the Atlantean flagship of the Sub-Mariner in the sky, but Strucker believed that they hadn't been noticed. However, Strucker was wrong, and the Invaders emerged from the craft to attack them. The Invaders defeated the entire Blitzkrieg Squad and placed them into the custody of the military.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#39) - Siegfried was briefly assigned to Festung von Furcht under the command of Colonel Klaue, away from the rest of the Blitzkrieg Squad. When the Howling Commandos invaded the base to find the Thunderer jet, Siegfried was able to continue his feud with Dugan, but Dugan once again triumphed over Siegfried.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#41) - The Blitzkrieg Squad were placed under the command of Colonel Klaue, and sent to assassainte Winston Churchill when he was due to present a medal to Nick Fury at Able Company base.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#47 - BTS) - The Blitzkrieg Squad were released from custody by Colonel Klaue.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#48) - Klaue led the squad in an attempt to destroy a number of munitions depots in England. They were then ordered to break into Able Company base and kill the Howling Commandos. Once again, the Blitzkrieg Squad were defeated, and the Howlers placed them in their stockade.

Comments: Created by Stan Lee, Dick Ayers and George Roussos.

The last names of Ernst, Fritz, Ludwig, Manfred, Otto & Siegfried were revealed in Marvel Atlas#1.