Forever frozen in time, that moment at midnight October 13, 2004. Sergeant First Class John Adams stands with his laser sighted pistol firing at an Iraqi insurgent, killing him. That moment is now an action figure, soon to be on Toys R Us shelves.
Adams' heroism that night earned him the Bronze Star with "V" device for Valor. A man appeared to be fixing a flat tire on the side of a major supply road for U.S. Troops. When Adams got out of his HumVee to check him out, it soon became apparant that the man was an insurgent trying to complete an improvised explosive device. The insurgent and two other men opened fire. Adams returned fire, killing the man planting the bombs, but the two others escaped.
Adams' actions are credited with "saving countless lives and avoiding a disruption along a road that supplied American troops with fuel and provisions."
"It was a very large IED and there was a supply convoy coming through the next day, so the insurgents had some type of knowledge of the time and place of when it'd be coming through," Adams explained, "It could have definitely killed some friendly forces but they were mainly going for the fuel truck."
The 32 year old Marysville, Indiana resident is now a U.S. Army recruiter in Indianapolis. He met with me in his home (which is for sale, by the way, if you're looking to help out a war veteran).
Adams is not only a GI Joe figure, but he will also be featured in the hugely popular America's Army video game, which boasts 9 million registered users.
The 2004 shooting of the insurgent will not be featured on the video game, but gamers can ask the Adams character questions, and the real Adams has already logged on to the game to chat live with stunned participants.
The incident is recreated in a video on the America's Army website (www.americasarmy.com). Adams says the reenactment was filmed in the parking lot of a Scottsburg, Indiana church. He portrays himself. Another one of the "Real Heroes" portrays one of the insurgents and a young man Adams was recruiting to join the Army agreed to portray the insurgent that Adams shoots.
In the video, Adams combs through the sand with his hands, uncovering the daisy-chained IED's.
"It's probably not what you'd want your... my Mom would go crazy if she knew I was doing that. Not safe, no, not at all," Adams laughs.
I asked him if recreating that violent night was difficult. Adams said he did experience several flashbacks that night, but it doesn't "stop me in my tracks," he said, "It doesn't keep coming back as a bad dream."
Yet, it is a strikingly violent moment for an action figure to be sold at a toy store.
"It's good because it takes... not only do we have the action figure, but it takes our story and puts it out there to the kids today as heroes, as a story behind the figure. I hope it's not taken the wrong way, as a 'time of violence,' but these kids see us as the heroes."
The first four "Real Heroes" action figures debuted last year. Three of the four new figures have local ties.
SSG Timothy Nein lives in Henryville, Indiana and Sgt. Jason Mike is in Lexington. Their stories are also on www.americasarmy.com.
With all due respect, your Ken and Barbie doll analogy just does not compare to the Sgt. Adams situation, unless you have evidence that the models for Ken and Barbie consummated a sex act just before they were cast in plastic. The Sgt. Adams action figure portrays the moment that he shot the Iraqi insurgent. His quick thinking and swift response saved American lives. I don't think you need me to patronize him or you by spelling out that his actions were heroic.
It was, however, an act of violence. Someone was killed. I thank Sgt. Adams for his service to our country and am grateful for his actions, which rightfully earned him the Bronze Star.
Though my story described the actions that merited the Bronze Star, it was primarily about the U.S. Army's choice to portray Sgt. Adams as an action figure.
Thanks for your comments.
Shame on you for your smugness. Contrary to your implication, violence would not come to mind for most of us when we look at this action figure, just as we would not think sex when we look at Ken because he has a girlfriend, Barbie.
Maybe YOU should think of Sergeant Adams as a hero, too.