For Special Services ~ GI jOE - 1966 FORWARD OBSERVER

I do not own this.

Forward Observers, often alone, moved ahead of the Allied forces to secure vital vantage points. They served as the eyes of the ground or naval artillery in delivering rounds on enemy targets and pass back battlefield information. Also in the absence of a Forward Air Controller, the Forward Observer may control close air support strikes. Forward Observer teams are required to attain and maintain a Secret security clearance due to the requirement for Forward Observers to be aware of not only the mission of their own unit but of other U.S. and allied units in the same operating area.

Forward Observers must be able to work independently for long periods of time and, because the clandestine nature of their work and their frequent placement on or behind enemy lines, the ability to operate with minimal support is of great importance as some missions can often last for days or weeks.

"Deployed in 1966, the GI jOE Forward Observer has been "the eyes" for GI jOE for over 50 years watching and warning his comrades-in-arms of any potential danger that might head their way.

Forward Observers are some of the bravest, most courageous people in the armed forces. Their mission is to get as close as possible to an enemy's position, observe the enemy's movements, then transmit any vital information to their superiors. Given their battlefield position, Forward Observers run the risk of capture or even worse. It may not be a glamorous one, but when it comes to achieving success on the battlefield, their ability to obtain and relay information on an opposing force could mean the difference between victory and defeat.

A GI jOE Forward Observer was prepared for special assignment anytime, anywhere!"

The GI jOE Action Soldier, Forward Observer Set (code #5969), was a Sears exclusive, released only in 1966. Above is the US version. Also see the black and white U.S. Sears catalogue extract below.

Below is the colour extract from page 61 at Simpsons-Sears in Canada.

Contents included:

- Vintage painted hair GI jOE Action Soldier (hair colour varies);

- Fatigue shirt (green, tagged Hasbro Japan);

- Fatigue pants, (green, tagged Hasbro Japan);

- Camouflaged helmet (green cam, marked Hasbro R Japan, with green elastic chin strap, brass clip and netting);

- Camouflaged netting ( green mesh, tagged Hasbro Japan);

- Dog tag (silver metal and chain);

- Rubberized Poncho (could be green or camouflage),

- M1 rifle (brown, marked Hasbro Japan on rifle butt with elastic strap);

- Hand grenades (grey x 4 , factory sealed in clear baggie);

- Field telephone (could be brown or camouflage with brown vinyl shoulder strap);

- Field radio (could be green or camouflage with green elastic shoulder straps ),

- Field case (don't know what this is supposed to be ?)

- Wire roll ( green with wound copper wire, marked Hasbro Japan);

- Boots (brown tall);

- Map (coloured paper map)

- Map case (grey with black text, MAPS, marked Hasbro R on bottom)

Also included but not listed are:

- Tan pole halves (six) with metal pins and tan tent stakes (ten);

- Six pieces of foliage.

NOTE:

I have never seen a mint set, but with other Sears exclusive sets, Hasbro inserted the factory sealed ACTION SOLDIER equipment card sets into the cardboard box packaging.

~ PONCHO set #7519 with helmet sticker:

green poncho;

~ COMMAND POST FIELD RADIO AND TELEPHONE set #7520 with helmet sticker: green radio, brown telephone, green wire roll filed map and grey case;

~ COMBAT CAMOUFLAGE set #7511 with helmet sticker: dark green tent netting, plastic foliage (five pieces) sealed in factory baggie, tent pole halves (six) with metal inserts, tent stakes (ten) and guy rope.

Instead of the ACTION SOLDIER equipment carded sets, some Forward Observer sets may have had the factory sealed ACTION MARINE equipment card sets:

~ PONCHO set #7702 with helmet sticker:

camouflage poncho;

~ COMMUNICATIONS set #7703 with helmet sticker:

green camouflage radio, brown camouflage telephone, green wire roll, field map and grey case;

~ PARATROOPER CAMOUFLAGE set #7708 with helmet sticker:

dark green tent netting, plastic foliage (five pieces) sealed in factory baggie, tent pole halves (six) with metal insets, tent stakes (ten) and guy rope.

*****

In 1975, Hasbro created it's own knock-off action figure to compete against other knock-off action figures competing with G.I. jOE. It was called "The Defenders". The figures were blow molded and had the same limited movement as other knock-off blow molded figures. One of the accessory cards created for "The Defenders " was called "Forward Observer".

The set included a dark brown and tan camouflage hooded jacket, tan pants, map, and ... binoculars ! (with knobs for attaching the rubber strap) .

Hasbro was going to add another piece of equipment, but changed their mind. On the U.S version of the card you can see that an item has been blacked-out . I wonder what it may have been?!

2000 Forward Observer Timeless Collection J C Penney exclusive

This set was re-released in 2000 as an exclusive of the J.C. Penney department stores, as

" GI jOE Timeless Collection III, Forward Observer Set ".

These contents included: 12 inch Timeless Collection painted hair GI jOE , green Army fatigue shirt and fatigue pants, camouflage helmet with netting, tall brown combat boots, green poncho, M1 rifle with elastic strap, bayonet, hand grenades (four, in clear plastic baggie), green camouflage field radio, brown camouflage field telephone, green wire roll, field map with a grey map case, dark green camouflage netting, six foliage pieces, two tan tent stakes, twelve tan tent pole sections, two guy lines, twelve insert plugs.

2000 Forward Observer Timeless Collectioon J C Penney Exclusive

NOTE:

No dog tag and chain is indicated in the Equipment List.

Also on the front and back of Timeless Collection box, Hasbro used a picture from the vintage GI jOE Machine Gun Emplacement Set ?!

One final note, both the original 1966 and Timeless Collection sets did not include a pair of binoculars. Pretty difficult to observe the enemy without binoculars!

See You Tube Review : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNVhzTzm5is

Also thank you to:

Thomas Krakovsky

136 Short Knoll Way

Dobson, NC

27017

for providing me with a many of the Timeless Collection loose pieces on Jan 27, 2020, to help me complete my G.I.jOE Action Soldier Forward Observer diorama !