Red Dog (aka David "Red Dog" Taputapu) File Name: David Taputapu of Pago Pago, American Samoa. Grade: Army E-5 equivalent (1987-2006) SN: 425-80-2173 Notes: Pago Pago is the territorial capital of the island, located in the South Pacific. chronological: Taurus << Red Dog >> Nemesis Enforcer alphabetical: Recondo << Red Dog >> Red Ninja

Animated Appearances

Sunbow's Red Dog wore his 1987 outfit with brown vertical chest straps, the horizontal strap being grey with brown detail.

Classic Marvel Comic Appearances

As far as I can tell, Red Dog was only discernible in 2 panels of 1 issue: Order of Battle 2 in Jan. 1987.

Figure Releases

Version 1: spring 1987 Sgt. Slaughter's Renegades figure three-pack
Renegade	MOS 1: Infantry [11B]
	head: Red Dog (87) - remolded: Red Dog (06) arms: Red Dog (87) torso: Red Dog (87) waist: Red Dog (87) legs: Red Dog (87)
	Accessories: dark grey pistol resembling M1911 (new), red-brown backpack (85 Dusty's).
	The Renegades have no official status. Their movements and activities are virtually unrestricted. They don't get any credit when they succeed and everybody denies knowing anything about them when they fail. Red Dog could have had a pro football career as a barefoot placekicker if a defensive lineman hadn't ground his cleats into the big Samoan's obtruding toe. The lineman ended up with a broken helmet and a concussion. Red Dog was suspended for excessive roughness. He later worked briefly as a stuntman in "B" movies until he was recruited by G.I. Joe Command. "The other Renegades think that Red Dog is a handy gun to have along on missions. If they encounter an obstacle of any kind: barricade, tank-trap, or phalanx of armed guards, they simply point Red Dog in the appropriate direction, let him go, and wait for the dust to settle."
Toy Notes: Carded in a three-pack with Taurus and Mercer. Item #6153.

Version 2: late June 2006 Convention-exclusive Sgt. Slaughter and His Renegades three-pack
Renegade David "Red Dog" Taputapu	MOS 1: Infantry [11B] MOS 2: Special Services
	head: Red Dog (87) - remolded: Red Dog (06) arms: Gung-Ho (92, 93/I, 01, 04/IV), Mercer (06), Red Dog (06), Taurus (06), Sgt. Slaughter (06) torso: Clutch (93), Mercer (06), Red Dog (06), Taurus (06) waist: Clutch (93), Mercer (06), Red Dog (06), Taurus (06) legs: Clutch (93), Mercer (06), Red Dog (06), Taurus (06)
	Accessories: dark grey rifle (03 Sgt. Hacker's), cream two-piece bo staff (04 Storm Shadow's), cream backpack (92 Big Bear's), clear figure stand (common).
	DAVID "RED DOG" TAPUTAPU could have had a pro football career as a barefoot place-kicker, but he was permanently suspended for unnecessary roughness. While this recklessness was too uncontrollable for the regular G.I. JOE team, SGT. SLAUGHTER recognized his potential and took him under his wing as part of his personal experiment in rehabilitation, known as the Renegades program. Since they don't officially exist, they can function with very little restraint but if they are compromised, they're on their own. All their missions are covert, and they are even paid through a special fund earmarked as "Pentagon Pest Control." RED DOG may never learn to fully control his animalistic rage, because there always seems to be a good use for it. When the Renegades found out about the threat to SGT. SLAUGHTER by "intercepting" a messenger, RED DOG literally chomped at the bit to join the mission to protect him. He was barely contained by his comrades, nearly crazed in his desire to save their leader before his training camp literally becomes its namesake. "Fourth down, time to punt..."
Toy Notes: Carded in a Convention-exclusive three-pack with Mercer and Taurus. These figures are considered high-demand items.