Re: Historical trivia

Posted by Michaelson from em12-686.utsi.edu on July 28, 1998 at 07:27:14:

In Reply to: Re: Answer and another Question posted by Brisco on July 25, 1998 at 13:11:29:

: : : I must have missed something, and anymore that doesn't surprise me, but where has it been written or implied Indy DIDN'T serve in the military in some fashion during WWII? I have no recollection of information regarding his stories except prior to 1940, except recent fan fiction currently being written. Please enlighten me, someone. thanks and Regards. Michaelson

: There is no official source one way or another on this issue. George Lucas himself specifically made the WWII years off limits to the writers of the novels and the Dark Horse comics and the RPG for the Indy character. That's why the latest prewar Indy tale, the comic book "Indiana Jones and the Golden Fleece" (though I might be misremembering the title) takes place in 1941 just prior to American involvement in the war, and the next we see of Indy officially is the comic "Indiana Jones and the Spear of Destiny," which takes place in 1945, at the very end of the war, or just after. The years in between remain a mystery, perhaps because Lucas has some plans for covering those years some day, or perhaps because he just doesn't want to deal with it. Either way, the only other postwar accounts of Indy that I can recall are the comic "Indiana Jones and the Iron Pheonix" (which is credited as being based on the LucasArts computer game of the same name, but which never materialized), which takes place in 1947, the Young Indy bookends, in 1950 and 1993(?) and the forthcoming "Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine" game. None so far have mentioned his whereabouts during the war. Perhaps he did serve. One last point on this issue: at the beginning of Raiders, Indy comments that he's already done his army time when the men from Intelligence are waiting. But he hasn't. He never served the U.S. Army in WWI; he fought for the Belgian forces. I'm sure they hadn't thought that out in 1981, but it is a discrepancy.
: Brisco

Just one point, Americans who served in other armies at the beginning of WWI were given credit for their army time by the US military after the US got involved, therefore Indy was correct. He served in Belgiam army, but it was credited as US Allie support, and therefore considered US military service time. This began with the US boys who volunteered to fly with the French and English by going into Canada and joining the Canadian military. When the US military action began, those US citizens were extended an invitation to transfer to US groups as US soldier/flyers. Some did, some didn't. Those who didn't served out their time in that particular branch in that country they went to, but a lot did indeed transfer over to US divisons, and received honorable discharges from the US military, even though the joined through another armies country. Just a tidbit of history trivia. Regards. Michaelson

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: : : : I must have missed something, and anymore that doesn't surprise me, but where has it been written or implied Indy DIDN'T serve in the military in some fashion during WWII? I have no recollection of information regarding his stories except prior to 1940, except recent fan fiction currently being written. Please enlighten me, someone. thanks and Regards. Michaelson

: : There is no official source one way or another on this issue.  George Lucas himself specifically made the WWII years off limits to the writers of the novels and the Dark Horse comics and the RPG for the Indy character.  That's why the latest prewar Indy tale, the comic book "Indiana Jones and the Golden Fleece" (though I might be misremembering the title) takes place in 1941 just prior to American involvement in the war, and the next we see of Indy officially is the comic "Indiana Jones and the Spear of Destiny," which takes place in 1945, at the very end of the war, or just after.  The years in between remain a mystery, perhaps because Lucas has some plans for covering those years some day, or perhaps because he just doesn't want to deal with it.  Either way, the only other postwar accounts of Indy that I can recall are the comic "Indiana Jones and the Iron Pheonix" (which is credited as being based on the LucasArts computer game of the same name, but which never materialized), which takes place in 1947, the Young Indy bookends, in 1950 and 1993(?) and the forthcoming "Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine" game.  None so far have mentioned his whereabouts during the war.  Perhaps he did serve.  One last point on this issue:  at the beginning of Raiders, Indy comments that he's already done his army time when the men from Intelligence are waiting.  But he hasn't.  He never served the U.S. Army in WWI; he fought for the Belgian forces.  I'm sure they hadn't thought that out in 1981, but it is a discrepancy.
: : Brisco

: Just one point, Americans who served in other armies at the beginning of WWI were given credit for their army time by the US military after the US got involved, therefore Indy was correct. He served in Belgiam army, but it was credited as US Allie support, and therefore considered US military service time. This began with the US boys who volunteered to fly with the French and English by going into Canada and joining the Canadian military. When the US military action began, those US citizens were extended an invitation to transfer to US groups as US soldier/flyers. Some did, some didn't. Those who didn't served out their time in that particular branch in that country they went to, but a lot did indeed transfer over to US divisons, and received honorable discharges from the US military, even though the joined through another armies country. Just a tidbit of history trivia. Regards. Michaelson

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