Pablo Eder // Shutterstock

30 One thousand.I. Joes modeled afterwards real people

The K.I. Joe franchise—which substantially invented the concept of an "action figure" and touts the slogan, "A Existent American Hero"—includes endless militaristic characters. From martial artists and explosive experts to more full general soldiers of fortune (and a few women), each character comes complete with a file carte outlining his or her distinct personality traits and colorful codenames.

While most 1000.I. Joe characters are fictional, toy visitor Hasbro has too sought to award actual Americans with a number of action figures based on real people. Such G.I. Joes include military veterans from conflicts dating back hundreds of years, professional wrestlers and other athletes, and even one lucky contest winner.

Any the origin, these One thousand.I. Joe figures serve to immortalize stories of actual people within the construct of ane of the most iconic toy brands. Stacker has compiled a listing of only some of these G.I. Joes—read on to find out if you own or recognize any of them.

ALSO: Military heroes from every state

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Mass Communications Specialist 1st Class Terry Kingdom of spain // U.S. Navy

Sgt. Slaughter

Named after the professional wrestler of the same proper name, Sgt. Slaughter (real name Robert Remus) holds the distinction of being the first celebrity member of K.I. Joe. His 1985 action figure of the same name sports the wrestler'south signature sunglasses and Vietnam-era armed forces garb in spite of not actually having served in the war himself.

Nevertheless, the activeness figure looks the part well enough to take been a long-lasting and recognizable character in the line—and for the actual Sgt. Slaughter to take been a the K.I. Joe spokesman in commercials from 1987 to 1990.

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Marcio Jose Bastos Silva // Shutterstock

The Refrigerator

Sporting his #72 Jersey, William "The Fridge" Perry was available as a postal service-order in 1987 and once again the subsequent years. Staying true to his football roots, the figure came with a black football game attached to a chain, presumably for use as a weapon. The real Perry, who played defensive lineman in the NFL for 10 seasons, earned his nickname for his big build and defensive capability.

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Larry Hama (Tunnel Rat)

While Larry Hama may not exist a large celebrity, Hasbro's toy makers viewed him worthy of inclusion in the 1987 G.I. Joe line. Hama is an actor, artist, and comic book writer, who at the time of his effigy'southward debut was a writer for Marvel Comics' "G.I. Joe" series. Named "Tunnel Rat," this character—an expert in explosives—used Hama'southward likeness.

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Practiced Morning America // YouTube

Owen King (Sneak Peek)

Sneak Peek was an assail-rifle-toting communications expert action figure released in 1987. Just what fans may not accept realized was that Sneak Peek'southward file bill of fare listed the character'southward name as "Owen South. King" for famed novelist Stephen Rex's son. The author had a pale in the One thousand.I. Joe line, and was responsible for inventing the character of "Crystal Ball." Owen, born in 1977, was a huge One thousand.I. Joe fan.

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Mike Leonard (Scoop)

This 1989 Thousand.I. Joe was created in honor of now-retired NBC journalist Mike Leonard. Nicknamed "Scoop," the grapheme was an information specialist with the real name "Leonard Michaels." The action figure was one of the most equipped in the series, with a backpack (consummate with satelite receiver), video photographic camera and 35-millimeter camera, silenced pistol, binoculars, and helmet with microphone.

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Architect of the Capitol // Wikicommons

George Washington

The first president of the U.s.a. rose to fame as the commander-in-chief of the Continental Regular army during the Revolutionary State of war. Every bit a historical effigy in political and military history, it just fabricated sense for G.I. Joe to honour the homo as office of the franchise's "Classic Drove" released in 1997.

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Imperial War Museum // Wikicommons

Dwight Eisenhower

The most recent United States president to jump directly from the military to politics, Dwight D. Eisenhower served in World War II and eventually was elected equally the nation'due south head of country. The Eisenhower G.I. Joe effigy was released in 1997 nether the Archetype Drove.

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George S. Patton

George S. Patton was a highly decorated general during World War II who fought in the Mediterranean theater of the wide-scale disharmonize. His human foot-tall tribute, forth with George Washington, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and others, was office of the G.I. Joe Classic Collection released in 1997.

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Robert Crippen

The existent Robert Crippen is a retired naval officer, test pilot, aviator, aerospace engineer and—his merits to fame—NASA astronaut. He participated in multiple space missions, so it only makes sense that his Chiliad.I. Joe likeness is donning a total space suit.

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Bob Hope

Legendary comedian and performer Bob Hope never served in battle, but Congress still named him an honorary veteran for his humanitarian services to the U.S. Military. Hasbro gave Hope the distinct honor of his ain Classic Collection M.I. Joe figure in recognition of his numerous USO trips overseas to entertain the troops. The Bob Hope Thousand.I. Joe was released in 1998.

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Ulysses South. Grant

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DoD News Features // Wikicommons

Colin Powell

While Colin Powell is mostly known to younger Americans as the former secretarial assistant of state under President George W. Bush-league, the diplomat'south Thou.I. Joe likeness was released in 1998—years before his tenure in the Bush White House. At that fourth dimension, Powell was known for serving as a four-star general in the United States Army. The Colin Powell activity figure depicts him accordingly, in full uniform with associated awards and badges.

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Pfc. Bordonaro from 3908 Sig Sv Bn. // U.Southward. Ground forces

Francis South. Currey

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United States Marine Corps

Mitchell Paige

Mitchell Paige was besides a World War Two Medal of Honor recipient. He is recognized for operating four machine guns against an unabridged Japanese regiment after the rest of his platoon was killed or injured. His Grand.I. Joe Classic Collection figure comes with a prop automobile gun for the figure to hold.

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Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt was considered a hero for his part in the Crude Riders cavalry unit of measurement during the Spanish-American War. After his military service, Roosevelt was elected governor of New York before being tapped for the role of vice president to William McKinley. Following McKinley'south bump-off, Roosevelt found himself as president of the United States. His 1999 1000.I. Joe action figure depicts his time as a lieutenant commander of the Rough Riders.

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Florida Keys Public Libraries // Flickr

Ted Williams

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Air Forcefulness Public Diplomacy Agency

Buzz Aldrin

Fizz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong made history with the 1969 Moon landing—and for being the beginning two people to walk on the moon. The grapheme Fizz Lightyear from "Toy Story" may be more famous than Aldrin's Chiliad.I. Joe effigy, merely the astronaut was nevertheless honored by Hasbro in 1999.

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Ryan Michael Brantner // Shutterstock

Charlie Bury

As he describes enthusiastically on his archived GeoCities website, Sergeant First Grade Charles Coffin of the Maryland Army National Guard is an enthusiastic 1000.I. Joe collector. And in 1999 he saw his dreams come up true: Bury won the "Real Spirit of Thou.I. Joe Contest" and had an activity figure modeled after him. If that wasn't enough, he also won a car from Hasbro.

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U.S. Diplomatic mission New Delhi // Flickr

John F. Kennedy

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Brian Thousand. Mulholland (Large Brawler)

Said to be named afterward the 2001 G.I. Joe Fan Club Officeholder Brian K. Mulholland, "Big Brawler" acts every bit a jungle mission specialist inside the fictional universe. The action figure was beginning released in 2001 and armed with a rifle.

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Roy Benavidez

An Ground forces veteran built-in to a Mexican-American father and Native female parent, Roy Benavidez in 1981 earned the Medal of Accolade for his deportment in Vietnam. Later on stepping on a landmine in 1965 and becoming paralyzed, Benavidez miraculously recovered and redeployed to Vietnam in 1968—where he rescued a patrol while engaging in half-dozen hours of paw-to-mitt combat and incurring 37 bullet, bayonet, and shrapnel wounds. The G.I. Joe figure begetting Benavidez's likeness came out in 2001.

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Jimmy Doolittle

Months after the set on on Pearl Harbor, James Doolittle allowable what is now called the "Doolittle Raid," a retaliation strike confronting Japan. Doolittle received a Medal of Award for his function in the state of war, with the raid being a key part to heighten morale in the The states. Doolittle's own G.I. Joe figure released in 2001.

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Audie Murphy

Audie Murphy was i of the most decorated soldiers in the United States Ground forces. At xix, he fought off an entire company of German soldiers while injured. Murphy became an actor following his armed services career, appearing in a number of movies including his autobiographical film "To Hell and Dorsum." As part of the Archetype Collection, Audie White potato became a Yard.I. Joe figure in 2001.

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John Glenn

John Glenn had a long storied career equally an aviator, astronaut, and political leader. His 2003 G.I. Joe figure depicts his time as an astronaut, with the toy even coming with Glenn'south Life magazine embrace. Glenn was the first American to orbit the Earth and circled around it three times.

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Douglas MacArthur

Douglas MacArthur fought in World Wars I and II, playing a prominent role in the latter while serving in the Philippines. MacArthur had a long career in the military before President Harry Truman removed him from duty in 1951 following a series of defeats. Hasbro released a Grand.I. Joe figure based on the five-star general in 2003.

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Walter A. McDaniel (Rampage)

Many One thousand.I. Joe figures were based on people involved with Hasbro and related companies. Ane such person is Walter A. McDaniel, a comic volume artist who worked with Hasbro on One thousand.I. Joe packaging and box art. An iteration of the grapheme Rampage was based on McDaniel'southward appearance.

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BrandonJerwa // Wikicommons

Brandon Jerwa (Dragonsky)

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Maj. Gen. Edward Grand. Almond, Commanding General of the 92nd Infantry (`Buffalo') Division in Italy, inspects his troops during a decoration ceremony // National Archives

John R. Fox

1 of the several African-American "Buffalo Soldiers," Commencement Lt. John R. Flim-flam was part of a "Medal of Honor" series for G.I. Joe. Play tricks received the Medal of Honor eight years prior to his action figure's 2005 release. Fox was killed during World State of war 2 when he called for artillery fire on his ain position in Italian republic in club to defeat a German assault.

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Rowdy Roddy Piper

"Rowdy" Roddy Piper was one of the near famous professional wrestlers in the modern era, too as a prolific actor best known for his roles in "They Live" and "It'southward Always Sunny in Philadelphia." A G.I. Joe figure modeled later Piper was released in 2007.

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Derryl DePriest (Fe Bear)

Several Yard.I. Joe figures were modeled after product artists and fans, but Iron Bear is based on an executive involved in the toy line. The 2012 release of Derryl DePriest's G.I. Joe action figure is an obvious nod to his contributions to the franchise.

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