--- title: "The US wanted an army of Batman paratroopers in World War II" description: "Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson of the California State Guard came up with the idea of \"Bat-Men,\" modified paratroopers." date: "2021-05-13" modified: "2021-05-13" authors: - name: "Blake Stilwell" job_title: "Editor-In-Chief, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/blake/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-history/us-wanted-army-of-batmen/" categories: - "History" - "War History" - "World War II" --- # The US wanted an army of Batman paratroopers in World War II ![bat-men]() *Like this, but in World War II. (DC Comic)* The Second World War gave us all a lot of crazy ideas that turned out to be really great things for the United States and, after a few years, the world. It gave us microwaves, the mass production of penicillin, and, later, Batman. This wild idea all started in California, already a central hub of America's most creative types. Those creative minds were focused on repelling what seemed like an imminent invasion of Japanese troops at the time, and no idea was deemed too crazy at the brainstorming sessions, as long as it meant pushing Japan back into the Pacific Ocean when the time came. Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson of the California State Guard came up with the idea of "Bat-Men," modified paratroopers who could avoid enemy ground fire by gliding through the air and into the coming fight. ![bat-men]() *If it's stupid and it works, it isn't stupid. Right?* Nicholson conceived the idea while watching free-jumpers at air shows who used wingsuits to control their descent before opening their parachutes. He enlisted (not literally) the aid of a famous wingsuit jumper named Mickey Morgan to spearhead the new paratrooper unit idea. The Major, as he came to be called, was a U.S. Army cavalryman who served under Gen. John J. Pershing during the Punitive Expedition in Mexico and fighting Moros in the Philippines. During World War I, he was dispatched on diplomatic and intelligence missions to Siberia, where he documented the movements of Russian and Japanese troops. ![]() Nicholson had a long history of publishing, writing his first two books in the 1920s. During the Great Depression, he realized that with so many people out of work, books were just out of reach of most people, so he devised a way to sell printed material at an affordable price: [the comic book](). Before World War II, Nicholson founded one of the first-ever comic book companies, called National Allied Publications in 1934. With titles like *Fun Comics* and *New Fun Comics*, Nicholson published an entirely new concept in comics. Rather than reprinting funnies from daily newspapers, he introduced new characters and continuing storylines. In 1935, the Major hired Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, who sent him the concept of a superpowered hero on butcher paper – it was the blueprint for Superman. Later on, National Allied Publications would morph into what we know today as DC Comics. The company's first sensational character came in Detective Comics #27, featuring the new character, Batman. ## Don’t Miss the Best of Mighty History We Are The Mighty is a celebration of military service, with a mission to entertain, inform, and inspire those who serve and those who support them. We are made by and for current service members, veterans, spouses, family members, and civilians who want to be part of this community. Keep up with the best in military culture and entertainment: [subscribe to the We Are The Mighty newsletter](). - []()[Superman vs. Hitler: How the Man of Steel helped fight World War II]() - This is why World War II troops are to thank for the rise of comic books - [The German Reich was not happy with how Superman ended World War II]() ## Author Blake Stilwell is We Are The Mighty's Editor-in-Chief, covering military news, entertainment, and history, along with veteran education, employment and entrepreneurship. He is a former U.S. Air Force combat cameraman with degrees in Graphic Design, Television and Film, International Relations, Public Relations, Business Management and Middle Eastern Affairs. After leaving the military, he began working in film and television production in New York and Los Angeles, work that included ABC News, NBC Olympics, and HBO Sports. He then spent two years in Washington with White House Communications, before joining the Near East Foundation. At NEF he served as an International Development Fellow, then Communications Officer, and finally, Media Officer for the Middle East and Africa. Based in the Palestinian Territory, he coordinated strategic communications between eight country offices, international media, and government and NGO partners. He began a career focused on writing and editing in 2015 with We Are The Mighty. He left in 2019 for Military.com, but returned as Editor-in-Chief in 2025. Blake’s work has been seen on CBS News, Fox News, CBC, The Chicago Tribune, Task & Purpose, Military Times, Recoil, Skillset, American History, and was shockingly even used in a Supreme Court argument. He is an avid traveler and small business owner in Ohio, where he spends most of his energy fixing up a very old house. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()