Beachhead (G.I. Joe)

Infobox G.I. Joe character
name = Beachhead


caption =
affiliation = G.I. Joe
function = Ranger
realname = Wayne R. Sneeden
birthplace = Auburn, Alabama
serial = RA011-60-9231
rank = E-6
primaryMOS = Infantry
secondaryMOS = Small Arm Armorer
subgroup = Tiger Force, Night Force
previous =
series =
voiceby = Bill William Callaway
debut = 1985

Beachhead (sometimes spelled "Beach Head" or "Beach-Head") is a character from the G.I. Joe series, "". He first appeared in the 1986 edition of the toyline and made appearances in both the and comics, where he serves as the Joe Team's sergeant major.

Character biography

Beachhead's real name is Wayne R. Sneeden. He was born and raised in Auburn, Alabama, living in abject poverty; this led to him being bullied and tormented by his classmates and peers throughout his growing years. In hopes of becoming more than what those taunted him believed he could be, Sneeden became an overachiever and ended up the valedictorian of his high school through hard work, unwavering discipline, and his keen mind.

Seeking the next challenge, he enlisted in the US Army, where he went through Airborne and Ranger school Ft. Benning, Georgia. After he completed training there, he went onto join Central America's Covert Ops as an Observer/Advisor. After his training in Central America, he returned to Ft. Benning as a lane instructor.

He was offered a spot in the G.I. Joe team as a Ranger and after he decided on the codename Beach Head, he joined, eager for the challenge being a member of the most elite force in the US military would bring.

His unwavering patience on and off the battlefield made him a legend - as did his intolerance of anyone not willing to live up to their full potential, something he makes quite clear to anyone he feels is a slacker and not working up to their potential. The consummate professional, he is determined and ruthless when needed to get the job done. Beachhead is the first off the copter laying down suppressive fire for the others and is the last back on the copter to protect the backs of his comrades.

Sneeden's habits include getting up hours before his teammates and going on a 10-mile run, then undergoing rigorous physical training that make the most gung-ho of his comrades weary - and all before breakfast.

The "Deodorant" Issue

In the "G.I. Joe" Sunbow cartoon 5-part mini series "Arise Serpentor, Arise!", Beachhead and Mainframe are trapped in the coffin of Vlad Tepes. When they later escape, Mainframe tells Beachhead he wants to talk to him about his deodorant, in which Beachhead replies: "What deodorant? I don't use none."

"Thats's what we need to talk about," Mainframe responds.

Although this was a seemingly insignificant bit of comedy, it become a running joke of his character, and many fans have adopted this attribute to Beachhead even though it was never mentioned as flavor text on his filecard or mentioned by writer Larry Hama, whose filecards and comic writings are considered to be canon of the "G.I. Joe" mythos by Hasbro Toys.

It was, however, mentioned in the "G.I. Joe: Battlefiles" sourcebook published by Devil's Due Publishing, where his less-than-admirable personal hygiene habits are explained as being a tactical preventative measure, since scented deodorant could literally be a dead giveaway if he were dropped into a close combat war-zone without any prior notice.

Though the "Battlefiles" copy was not written by Larry Hama, Hasbro at the time considered the Devil's Due books the official continuation of the canonical story, cementing Beach-Head's questionable personal hygiene as a "real" part of the character.

Hasbro Toy Line

Beachhead was first released as part of the fifth series in 1986 as the Joe team's Ranger and came with a gray submachine gun, a large black backpack, and a black bag of ammunition; his figure was also available in 1987 before it was discontinued in 1988. In 1993, a new Beachhead figure was released to the public, this one had the face entirely covered. There are three international variations in India of the first Beachhead figure, with a yellow vest, with red trim, and a version in bright green; his body was recolored and reused for a figure called Skydiver.

There is some suggestion that Beachhead is related to the Checkpoint character from Hasbro's "C.O.P.S" toy line: Checkpoint's real name is listed as Joe R. Sneeden, and it's stated that his father was a member of a top secret military team during the '80s and '90s.

25th Anniversary

Beachhead has been released in wave 2.

Comic books

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (Marvel)

Beachhead's first appearance in the comic was in issue 47, published May 1986 alongside of Wet-Suit. Beachhead's first mission on the Joe team was assisting Hawk during the rescue of Snake-Eyes from Cobra Island. The rescue was successful after an off-shore battle with Cobra attack boats and Cobra Eels. He was part of the first team of Joes to enter Springfield before the invasion of that Cobra-controlled town, whose job was to knock out the enemy's power and communications.

Later Beachhead was part of a group advising Sierra Gordo's counter-revolutionaries in the fight against Cobra, where he once again found himself involved in rescuing Snake-Eyes from Cobra's Terror-Drome. He was also one of the many Joes to be involved in the construction of the third Pit headquarters in Utah. Some time later, with a large force of Joes, Beachhead participated in the Cobra Island civil war. He served on the team until it was disbanded in 1994.

G.I. Joe: Special Missions (Marvel)

His first appearance was in the sneak preview of Special Missions, published in issue 50 of "A Real American Hero" in August 1986, taking place right after his first appearance in the regular comic series. Here, he sneaked onto a Russian airliner alongside Flint and Lady Jaye in order to foil hijackers. The enemy soldiers were all killed. In "Special Missions" #8, Beachhead and a small team of Joes took part in a near-disastrous mission in the jungles of Southeast Asia, which nearly cost them their lives due to a treacherous CIA agent.

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero - Reinstated (Image Comics/Devil's Due Publishing)

Beachhead became part of the reinstated Joe team in 2002, where he acted as a drill sergeant for new recruits in addition to his usual duties as a Joe. After he rejoined the team, he helped stop Storm Shadow in his attempt to assassinate Hawk. Beachhead was later part of a convoy of vehicles escorting a group of young children who turned out to be clones of the original Serpentor. When the revived Serpentor arrived to claim them with the forces of The Coil to back him, Beachhead and several others were captured, and some of the team's new recruits were killed. Imprisoned on Cobra Island, the Joes eventually escaped and joined the battle against Serpentor's forces as the Joe team invaded the island.

He later fought Destro's new recruit, Wraith, as the mercenary freed Major Bludd and Scrap-Iron from Blackwater Prison. A short time later, members of the Joe team fought Cobra forces that were drawn into an attack on a train guarded by the Joes, believing that Destro was being held prisoner onboard. At the battle's end, Hawk was shot in the back by Cobra Commander and paralyzed.

In Hawk's absence, the Jugglers began to take control of the team to reign it in, if not disband it altogether. Eventually, the team's roster was cut down to only a dozen Joes, and Beachhead was one of many reassigned to other units. After the remaining Joes stopped a plot by Cobra to unleash the weapon known as the Tempest, and defeated a new threat, the Red Shadows, the military again disbanded the team.

G.I. Joe: Frontlines (Image Comics/Devil's Due Publishing)

Beachhead made his "Frontlines" appearance alongside Flash, Trip-Wire, Airtight and Chuckles, where they fought against terrorist Tyler Wingfield, the son of Vance Wingfield.

He was also featured in issue #17 as he leads a team of new recruits on a very dangerous, very real mission in a war-torn, riot-filled city. One of his men is wounded and Beachhead apparently orders the man abandoned. This leads to mistrust and hostility on the part of the other soldiers. It is later revealed that Beachhead knew the wounded man was not going to be killed, rather he would be taken to the police station, which was a mission objective. Beachhead and the others rescue their wounded comrade and attempt an escape. Beachhead himself is wounded and despite explicit orders to leave him behind, his men risk their lives to save him, and themselves.

G.I. Joe: America's Elite: Special Missions: Manhattan (Devil's Due Publishing)

There are times when the active members of the Elite team are on assignment or too far away to help in a crisis, which is where the reserves come into play. In Manhattan there is the threat of a biological agent being stolen from a top secret lab; the closest reserve members are Beachhead, Mercer, Lowlight, Cover Girl, and Tunnel Rat. With Beachhead the acting team leader, they send Tunnel Rat in first since he knows the layout of the building best; with him as their guide, they infiltrate the building. Beachhead sends the wisecracking Mercer to make certain the levels are secure, while Beachhead, Lowlight, and Cover Girl head upstairs to handle the enemy.

While they are en route, Mercer is attacked by a Cobra agent called Neurotoxin; after a display of combat skill and heroics by Beachhead's team, they end up in quarantine along with their target, where they are met by General Colton whom explained there was no bio-agent, that it was a decoy to lure Neurotoxin out of hiding so he could be captured. He and Mercer showed dissatisfaction at the fact they were used in such a manner, essentially putting the lives of the team on the line without their knowledge, even though Tunnel Rat and Cover Girl expressed that the mission had been the "most fun they've had."

G.I. Joe: Reloaded (Devil's Due Publishing)

In an alternate continuity, Beachhead is part of a smaller, more tightly focused G.I.Joe team that exists in the modern times, with appearances from a man that resembles President Bush in the role of the President of the United States. In the course of this alternate timeline, he ends up severely wounded in a mission to protect, then retrieve, the United States Constitution from the hands of Cobra; during this mission, he shows just why Lady Jaye and others had nightmares of him by threatening to ingest the ear of a captured Alley-Viper in order to replenish lost blood.

Later, when he and the team are sent to Hawaii for training Beachhead style, he ends up separated from the team and is presumed dead by them but still remains active, using guerrilla warfare tactics to attack and weaken the forces of Cobra; He later joins forces with Snake-Eyes and they act as support for the rest of the Joe team whom had infiltrated the Cobra recruits, where they are spotted by the traitor Duke.

Cartoons & Movies

Beachhead appeared in the second season of the Sunbow cartoon, and was voiced by Bill William Callaway.

He served as fourth in the G.I. Joe chain of command, just ranked below Flint. Beachhead was portrayed as a short-tempered soldier in contrast to his calm character from the comics; he was also shown to long for the command he felt he deserved and was very strict concerning the rules, showing intense disapproval for the relationships between Flint and Lady Jaye as well as Duke and Scarlett. This was due to the fact romance between the parties was against regulations.

In one notable incident, Beachhead and his teammate Mainframe escaped from Cobra troops by hiding in the actual coffin of Vlad the Impaler.

Beachhead appeared in "G.I.Joe The Movie" (1987), reappeared in the movie "G.I. Joe SpyTroops" (2003) & "G.I. Joe Valor vs Venom" (2004).

External links

* [http://www.hasbro.com/gijoe/ The Official G.I. Joe action figure homepage]
* [http://www.myuselessknowledge.com/joe/beachhead.html G.I. Joe Comics Home Page: Beach-Head]
* [http://www.yojoe.com/action/86/beachhead.shtml Yo Joe!]
* [http://www.fortunecity.com/marina/salmon/969/ G.I. Joe Stars & Stripes Forever]