JAKE JENSEN

Real Name: Private Jake Jensen

Identity/Class: Human (World War II era)

Occupation: Soldier, former pickpocket

Group Membership: Deadly Dozen

Affiliations: Howling Commandos (Isadore "Izzy" Cohen, Nick Fury, Gabe Jones, Eric Koenig, Robert "Reb" Ralston), Sam Sawyer

Enemies: Captain Conner, Nazis, Dr. Lola Steimle, Dr. Steinem, Dr. Sweikert

Known Relatives: Unnamed wife (deceased)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Able Company base, England
formerly, Jackson, Mississippi

First Appearance: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#98 (May, 1972)

Powers/Abilities: Jake was a skilled pickpocket, and wielded a rifle in combat. He also had a steel plate in his head, and could strike opponents with it.

History: (Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#98 (fb) - BTS) - Jake Jensen was a pickpocket prior to World War II, and his bad habits followed him into the service. He became a sergeant, but was busted to private and imprisoned for theft. Captain Sam Sawyer decided to use him in the Deadly Dozen squadron.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#98) - Jake was introduced to Timothy "Dum-Dum" Dugan, who was to be the leader of the Deadly Dozen. As Dugan began to train the Deadly Dozen, he caught Roland "Ace" Hamilton trying to sleep during a session. When he tried to discipline him, Jake stopped Dugan, claiming that Hamilton's rich father would send Dugan to the "cotton fields." Dugan brushed Jensen aside.

Jake joined the Deadly Dozen in their first field mission, to capture alive a band of Nazi spies who had landed on English soil. After knocking one of the Nazis down, Jake swiped his wallet, only to find another Nazi holding a gun on him. Thinking fast, Jake struck him with his head, knocking him out with his steel plate.

(Combat Kelly and the Deadly Dozen#1 (fb)) - Jensen was introduced to Combat Kelly, newly assigned as Dugan's replacement as leader of the Deadly Dozen. He joined the Deadly Dozen on a mission to Germany to destroy a new German jet plane created by Dr. Steinem. The Deadly Dozen successfully raided the Luftwaffe complex where the jet was stored.

(Combat Kelly and the Deadly Dozen#1) - Kelly had Jensen and the others destroy the jet plane using grenades. The destruction of the jet threatened to set off all of the jet fuel in the complex, and the Dozen escaped before the explosion destroyed the entire complex. They then met up with their rendezvous plane, and returned to England.

(Combat Kelly and the Deadly Dozen#3 - BTS) - In January, 1945, the Deadly Dozen entered the frontlines of the war during the push into Germany following the Battle of the Bulge. During a lull in the action, Kelly narrated to them the story of how he became a convict. Not long after he finished his tale, the fighting resumed.

(Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos#104 - BTS) - Jake and the other members of the Deadly Dozen feared for their lives while under the command of Captain Conner, who seemed oblivious to conditions on the battlefield. Sgt. Fury's Howling Commandos came to assist the Deadly Dozen, reuniting Jensen with Dum-Dum Dugan, but Captain Conner cracked-up when he learned that thousands of German soldiers were headed for their position.

(Combat Kelly and the Deadly Dozen#4) - Sgt. Fury beat up Conner in anger, then assumed command the situation, ordering Miller and Wagner to bring Conner back to headquarters. Fury led his and Kelly's squads into battle against the Germans, and they succeeded against enormous odds, driving off the Germans. When Conner returned, he tried to kill Fury and Kelly for commiting mutiny, but Miller caught up to Conner and killed him for abandoning him and Wagner after an attack. The Deadly Dozen brought Miller and Wagner's bodies back with them, but left Conner's.

(Combat Kelly and his Deadly Dozen#5) - Jensen joined the Deadly Dozen in a training session on an obstacle course.

(Combat Kelly and his Deadly Dozen#6 (fb)) - Jensen joined the Deady Dozen in attending a USO dance, but they were interrupted by news of another mission, which Jensen did not participate in.

(Combat Kelly and his Deadly Dozen#8) - The Deadly Dozen performed an underwater obstacle course run in preparation of their next mission, to confront Dr. Sweikert, a sadistic Nazi surgeon. The Deadly Dozen captured Dr. Lola Steimle, and Laurie Livingston impersonated her in order to enter Sweikert's facility, with Kelly disguised as her driver.

(Combat Kelly and his Deadly Dozen#9) - When Laurie and Kelly had been gone for 24 hours, Jay Little Bear led the Deadly Dozen in to rescue them. Doc Watson was shot trying to distract a guard, and when Jensen checked his injury, he found that he was dead. As they launched into battle with the Germans, Jensen saved Jay Little Bear from a German who tried to shoot him from behind, but Jensen was then shot himself and died.

Comments: Created by Gary Friedrich, Dick Ayers and Mike Esposito.

Jensen was often mis-colored with white skin.

by Prime Eternal

CLARIFICATIONS:
Jake Jensen should not be confused with:

• Pete Jensen of Earth-Ultraverse, former boyfriend of Starburst, @ Ultraverse Year Zero: Death of the Squad#1

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