All-Star Squadron

The **All-Star Squadron** was a government-sponsored team of superheroes who fought during World War II. The Squadron would later dissolve and reorganize as the Justice Society of America after the end of the war.

## **History**

### **Formation**

Almost immediately after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, United States president Franklin Delano Roosevelt requested the presence of 'mystery men' Spectre, Sandman, Hawkman, Blue Beetle, Flash, Doctor Fate, Hawkwoman, Green Lantern, Crimson Avenger, and Hourman, at the White House. The President requested that the heroes work to form a specialized United States Squadron to fight on the behalf of the Allies overseas, in exchange for the cessation of ongoing United States investigations into the secret identities of mystery men.

After some deliberation, they all agreed, and officially joined as members of the 4th Special Operations Squadron, almost always referred to as the 'All-Star Squadron'.

### **Wartime**

In January of 1942, the Squadron arrived in the Egypt to aid British soldiers against Axis forces. Here, they rendezvoused with Johnny Quick, Guardian, Starman, Liberty Belle, Doctor Mid-Nite, and Americommando, who had also been recruited to join the Squadron.

In the February of 1942, the Squadron were attacked by a German unit lead by Eric Reiter, a German general who had been granted incredible powers via experimental surgery, who led a unit of soldiers addicted to many amphetamines and experimental steroids. The Squadron let a two-month campaign against the unit, eventually defeating them.

In August, later that year, the powerful Teth-Adam was unleashed from his tomb on accidentally during battle, but after almost a week of battle, the Squadron was able him to seal him within once more.

In early 1943, Wildcat, Vigilante, Shining Knight, and the Atom also joined the Squadron.

In February of 1943, the Ultra-Humanite, who at this point had allied himself with the German and Italian governments, lead a unit of Italian soldiers who attempted to abduct the Atom, so that the mind of a German soldier could be transferred within him. The Atom was abducted for several hours, but was soon rescued by his comrades before the surgery could take place.

In June of 1943, the Squadron were transferred in the preparation of their participation of the Allied invasion of Sicily.

In July 1943, the Squadron participated in the initial Allied invasion of Italy, but Guardian was slain by enemy soldiers in the process.

In November of 1943, while participating in the occupation of Italy, the Squadron was confronted by Cyclotron, a nuclear scientist exposed to the same material as the Atom, who had been mentally conditioned by Axis scientists to fight the Squadron. Cyclotron was eventually able to break free of his mentally conditioning, and sacrificed himself to save them from enemy fire.

In May of 1944, the Squadron was transferred to southern England in preparation of the Allied invasion of France.

In the June of 1944, the Squadron participated in the initial Allied invasion of France, but Crimson Avenger was slaughtered by German fire during the campaign. During this invasion, the Squadron also first encountered the genetically altered 'Captain Nazi', who they would repeatedly encounter throughout the French campaign.

In the February of 1945, the Squadron was informed by US intelligence that Nazi force had developed a primitive armored combat suit for use against allied forces. The All-Star Squadron was able to track down the first armor prototype in Castle Brunwald in southern Germany. The Squadron confronted the German squadron guarding the castle, lead by Helmut Streicher in the armor, but was able to defeat them. While investigating the castle, Ted Grant discovered that the German government planned to use the armor to help guard the Spear of Destiny, which they had discovered in a private collection in Austria.

In March of that same year, the Squadron joined forces with the Freedom Fighters, Easy Company, the Losers, the Suicide Squadron, and the Blackhawk Squadron, who tracked down the Spear to a base in Austria. After infiltrating the base, the combined team discovered German forces summoning an army of Valkyries to hopefullly battle the allies, but the team fled as the Valkyries turned on the Germans and slayed them all before returning to their native realm. The forces collectively agreed to destroy the Spear, and to never speak of it again.

### **Dissolution**

After the victory over the Germans in the European theater of war, several prominent politicians began to question the efficiency of a further governmental relationship with the Squadron. In early June, Johnny Quick, Liberty Belle, Starman, Vigilante, Shining Knight, and Americommando left the Squadron to pursue other interests after the war's end.

In September, the remaining Squadron membership unanimously agreed to dissolve the Squadron and to reorganize as an independent organization - the Justice Society of America.

## **Members**

* Jonathan Chambers (Johnny Quick), 1942-1945
* James Corrigan (Spectre), 1941-1945
* Wesley Dodds (Sandman), 1941-1945
* Carter Hall (Hawkman), 1941-1945
* James Harper (Guardian), 1942-1943
* Dan Garrett (Blue Beetle), 1941-1945
* Jay Garrick (Flash), 1941-1945
* Ted Grant (Wildcat), 1943-1945
* Theodore Knight (Starman), 1942-1945
* Elizabeth Lawrence (Liberty Belle), 1942-1945
* Charles McNider (Doctor Mid-Nite), 1942-1945
* Kent Nelson (Doctor Fate), 1941-1945
* Al Pratt (Atom), 1943-1945
* Greg Saunders (Vigilante), 1943-1945
* Shiera Sanders (Hawkwoman), 1941-1945
* Alan Scott (Green Lantern), 1941-1945
* Tex Thompson (Americommando), 1942-1945
* Lee Travis (Crimson Avenger), 1941-1944
* Rex Tyler (Hourman), 1941-1945
* Ystin (Shining Knight), 1943-1945