Comic Title: DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest #18
Publisher: DC
Cover Date: February 1982
On Sale Date: November 5, 1981 Newsstand Date November 5, 1981
Source: Comic Reader, #196

Newsstand Date November 5, 1981
Source: Comics Journal, #68

Newsstand Date November 5, 1981
Source: Amazing Heroes, #6

Copyright Date October 13, 1981
Source: Library of Congress, Copyright Office 1981
DC publication dates beyond April 1981 listed by the LoC
represent shipping dates NOT newsstand sale dates

Cover Price: $0.95
Page Count: 96
Editor: Mike W. Barr

See Also: The Guide to DC Giants

Title: "Sergeants Aren't Born --"
Pages: 25

Feature(s):
Sgt. Rock (of Earth-1)

Writer: Robert Kanigher
Artist: Joe Kubert

Reprinted From:
Showcase #45 (1963)

Feature Character(s)

• Sgt. Rock (last appearance in Our Army at War #132; next appearance in Our Army at War #133)

Supporting Character(s)

• Easy Company (Piper named; last appearance in Our Army at War #132; next appearance in Our Army at War #133)
• Bulldozer (last appearance in Our Army at War #132; next appearance in Our Army at War #133)
• Ice Cream Soldier (last appearance in Our Army at War #132; next appearance in Our Army at War #133)
• Nick (last appearance in Our Army at War #119; next appearance in Our Army at War #140)

Villain(s)

• A German POW (no further appearances)
• Various German troops (no further appearances)

Flashback Appearance(s)

• Sgt. Rock (as a private; last appearance in Our Army at War #129; next appearance in Our Army at War #90)
• Easy Company (last appearance in Our Army at War #129; next appearance in Our Army at War #90)
• Bulldozer (last appearance in Our Army at War #213; next appearance in Our Army at War #120)
• Sgt. Rock (during his enlistment; last appearance in Our Army at War #160; next appearance in Our Army at War #128)

Comments:
This story recounts Sgt. Rock's training and how he got his stripes from the first story of Our Army at War #90.

This story shows Rock was still a private during the D-Day invasion, which contradicts earlier accounts of Rock fighting in North Africa prior to D-Day as a Sergeant. Bulldozer fights alongside Rock while Rock is still a private. The first story of Our Army at War #120 shows that Bulldozer received his name after Rock was promoted. These details are apocryphal to established Sgt. Rock continuity.

Synopsis:
Sgt. Rock leads Easy Company on another mission. A new recruit thinks Rock was born a sergeant, but Rock recalls how he was called a wooden soldier during training by a German POW. Rock remembers how he helped in the D-Day invasion, earning medals, and eventually became a sergeant after holding position on a hill.

Easy runs across enemy fire. Rock sees the enemy commander, whom is the same man who was a POW earlier. The Nazi leaves Rock for dead, but Sgt. Rock refuses to give up. He gets to his feet and defeats the enemy commander, proving to himself that he is indeed worthy of his stripes.