John Rambo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids John Rambo |
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| Rambo character | |
Sylvester Stallone as John Rambo in
Rambo III (1988) |
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| First appearance | First Blood (1972) |
| Last appearance | Rogue Company (2022) |
| Created by | David Morrell |
| Portrayed by | Sylvester Stallone |
| Voiced by |
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| Information | |
| Nickname(s) |
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| Occupation | United States Army Special Forces MACV-SOG (former) |
| Family |
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| Relatives |
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| Religion | Catholic/Buddhist |
| Nationality | American |
| Birthplace | Bowie, Arizona |
| Accolades | |
| Rank | Captain |
John James Rambo (born July 6, 1947) is a fictional character in the Rambo franchise. He first appeared in the 1972 novel First Blood by David Morrell, but later became more famous as the protagonist of the film series, in which he was played by Sylvester Stallone. The portrayal of the character earned Stallone widespread acclaim and recognition. The character was nominated for American Film Institute's list 100 Years…100 Heroes and Villains. The term "Rambo" is commonly used to describe a lone wolf who is reckless, disregards orders, uses violence to solve all problems, enters dangerous situations alone, and is exceptionally tough, callous, raw and aggressive.
Fictional biography
According to "Rambo: Last Blood", the character's full name is John Rambo. He was born on July 6, 1947, in Bowie, Arizona, to father Reevis Rambo (1922–2000) and mother Helga Rambo (1926–1969). Rembo is said to be of Native American and German descent. The film's novelization reveals he has an Italian father and a Navajo mother. Rambo enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of 17, on August 6, 1964, although he states in Rambo that he was "drafted into Vietnam". After he graduated from Rangeford High School in 1965, his military service began in January 1966. Rambo was deployed to South Vietnam in September 1966. He returned to the U.S. in 1967 and began training with the U.S. Army Special Forces at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, under Colonel Samuel Trautman's tutelage.
In late 1969, Rambo was re-deployed to Vietnam as a member of a SOG brigade. He became part of a Special Forces Long-range reconnaissance patrol unit, commanded by Colonel Trautman. Trautman's team received the code name of Baker Team and usually consisted of eight men.
During a mission in November 1971 Rambo's unit came under surprise attack by NVA forces. Rambo and some other surviving members were captured by North Vietnamese forces near the Chinese-Vietnamese border and held at a POW camp, where many other American POWs were imprisoned. However, Rambo managed to escape captivity in May 1972, and was immediately re-deployed at his own request. Rambo finally received his official military discharge on September 27, 1974. His final rank is not known but, judging from the crossed arrows (officer) insignia on the lapel of his Army Alpha Dress Green uniform, it is safe to assume that he was either a 1st Lieutenant or Captain.
Upon his return to the United States, Rambo discovered that many American civilians hated the soldiers returning from Vietnam, and he claimed that he and other returning soldiers were subject to humiliation and embarrassment by anti-war "hippies" who threw garbage at them and excluded them from society. His experiences in Vietnam and back home resulted in an extreme case of post-traumatic stress disorder. At the same time, inner questions of self-identity and reflectiveness had commenced to cause Rambo to lash out at society rather than handling difficult situations in a "civilized" manner. First Blood picks up from this point.
Cultural impact
John Rambo is considered a cultural icon. The character influenced many action heroes and films in the 1980s and 1990s. The John Rambo character became a prominent part of pop culture, and "Rambo", a word that can function as a noun, adjective, or a verb, became part of the English language. Perhaps more crucial from a cultural perspective, Rambo is a word that can be found in the prestigious Oxford English Dictionary. According to this source, Rambo is "a Vietnam War veteran represented as macho, self sufficient and bent on violent retribution." As well, it is widely popular to use adjectives such as Ramboesque, Ramboid, or Ramboism, to denote an ideological position that resembles Rambo's attitude and behavior. Rambo has become the quintessential representation of America during the Reagan years.
The Rambo film series also introduced and popularized the concept of the One Man Army in films, in which a protagonist is a well trained individual who can defeat countless enemies by himself. Rambo's weapons also became part of American pop culture.
Awards and decorations
Various special duty badges are visible on Rambo's Army Service Uniform, including:
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Images for kids
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Rambo in December 1981 after returning to civilian life
See also
In Spanish: John Rambo para niños
