Captain America Theater of War (2008 series) #5

In wartime Iraq, soldiers are pinned down by enemy fire in a dusty street. Suddenly Captain America appears and rushes into the building where the enemy is holed up; seconds later there is an explosion and the GIs believe Cap is dead but he suddenly reappears safe and sound. Shortly thereafter, three soldiers, Bryan Anderson, Kenny and Mike, are chosen to accompany Cap on a diplomatic mission, visiting local leaders to win hearts and minds for America. On the trip the three stand by and watch Iraqi police savagely beat a failed suicide bomber; Cap punishes them for standing idly by for this injustice by ordering them down a side street. There their truck hits a mine and Bryan is critically injured; Cap applies first aid and ensures Bryan is safely airlifted out. Bryan awakens in a hospital where he learns he has lost his right arm and both legs. After an endless round of surgeries and a grueling rehab regimen at Walter Reed, Bryan is on his way to a limited recovery. Cap visits him in the hospital but the bitter vet shuns him, blaming Cap for his injuries. After a year he goes home where he receives a hero’s welcome; a magazine story on his experiences leads to him being given the latest prosthetics. When his pals Kenny and Mike return from their tour of duty, Bryan is the first to meet them, standing on his new artificial legs. At the welcoming party, Bryan meets Captain America and tries to apologize for his bitter reception earlier. Cap stops him and reveals a secret: the serum that gave him his powers endowed him with a didactic memory. Cap remembers every soldier he ever served with, even those who did not return, and he considers that a privilege. The two men exchange salutes.