Joker

James T. "Joker" Davis is the protagonist of the novel The Short-Timers, its film adaptation Full Metal Jacket, and the sequel The Phantom Blooper. He undergoes a transformation from a raw Marine boot to a part of the fighting force deployed in Vietnam. Joker is known for his quick wit, comedic attitude and intense courage. He witnesses losses and himself loses his innocence during the events of the Tet Offensive.

Civilian Life
James T. Davis was from Alabama. Before enlisting into the United States Marine Corps, he writes for his high school's newspaper. He also has a relationship with a girl from his home named Vanessa. It is presumed that he is drafted for military service

Parris Island
He is sent to Parris Island to undergo eight-week recruit training, and is given his signature nickname on his first day of Platoon 3092. There he meets Cowboy and Gomer Pyle. He gets off to a rough start with the senior drill instructor, but takes on the rough routine of shouting, beating and intense training.

In the first four weeks, he witnesses Pyle trying the hardest of the platoon but continuing to fail. Like the other recruits Joker is physically fit compared to the more challenged Pyle, who is also not very bright. On the issue of their M-14 for close order drills, Joker names his rifle Vanessa after his girlfriend.

The fifth week into training puts Joker into a position as a leader. When asked of believing in the Virgin Mary, he denies given he knows it is a trick question. This angers the senior D.I. and he attacks Joker. He refuses to reverse his response, and with this he is promoted to squad leader and Pyle is assigned to Joker for one-on-one instruction.

He takes Pyle under his wing, but even as it seems that Pyle is improving the abuse continues stacking up by the D.I.s. Soon, the platoon starts to receive corrective training, under the pretense of collective punishment, every time Pyle continues to make a mistake. The last straw was a blanket party at the start of the seventh week, midnight. Despite his hesitations, Joker beats Pyle with a towel-wrapped soap bar and he continues to the point his disappointment takes over and becomes a relentless rage.

By morning, Joker notices the change in Pyle from his improvement and his unusual silence. At first, he and the platoon feels Pyle was in deep concentration. He soon gets the idea that Pyle is no longer mentally stable after he witnesses Pyle talking to his rifle. This is unfortunately dismissed as a rumor.

Graduation Day comes for Platoon 3092. Joker is rewarded the Rifle Expert badge and is promoted to Private First Class. His training orders come through and he is to attend the Infantry Training Regiment followed by the Basic Military Journalism School, becoming a combat correspondent.

On the last night, he is assigned to fire watch and finds Pyle with his rifle, talking to it, and has armed it with a loaded magazine of live ammunition. He tries to calm the insane Pyle, but it results in Pyle loudly proclaiming that the rifle belongs to him like a woman. The senior D.I. attempts to intervene, but is shot by Pyle. Joker reasons with Pyle, who briefly drifts out of his psychotic obsession, and realizes what he has done. Joker watches with horror as Pyle shoots himself in the mouth.

Da Nang
Joker is assigned with 1st Marine Division. By the start of 1968, he is a Corporal and has already less than two months of tour time in his duty of Vietnam. His works have been written for military magazines including Stars and Stripes and Leatherneck. He is partnered up with Lance Corporal "Rafter Man" Compton as his combat photographer, a New Guy.

With his office in Phu Bai, he is on Hill 327, southwest of the city, to write an article on the Freedom Hill Recreation Center. He is in Da Nang to see John Wayne's The Green Berets at a cinema where he reunites with Cowboy for the first time since leaving Parris Island. He meets the Lusthog Squad in this encounter, including Animal Mother who ferociously sizes him up and Crazy Earl who seems eager at the opportunity of getting famous.

On the way to the Division's Informational Services Office, Rafter Man expresses his desire to going out to the field. Despite his position, Joker says he is not responsible for his photographer's life on the account of not being in a leadership position.

By midnight as the South Vietnamese civilians launched their fireworks to celebrate the new lunar new year, an attack hits the base. Joker helps hold the defense, but at morning the Vietcong has already attacked every major military target across Vietnam through the Tet holiday. He is then ordered by Major Lynch to go meet up with Captain January at Phu Bai Combat Base.

Phu Bai
Upon arrival at the airfield, Joker and Rafter Man take a one-mile hump to the combat base. Upon arrival, they are stopped by an disgruntled M.P. guard who orders the pair to fill sandbags. Joker counters with reloading his M16 directly on the M.P., causing him to stagger back to one of the mortar-ravaged bunkers in the area.

Joker meets up with base mates Chili Vendor and Daytona Dave as they photograph grunts for their hometown newspapers. This is cut short where January calls for Joker, whilst playing Monopoly with Sergeant Mr. Payback, and orders him to move up to Hue where the North Vietnamese Army has taken over with the addition of getting photos of any killed civilians found in the area. Joker questions of what happened with his story on a N.V.A. squad takedown with anti-personnel rounds loaded with flechettes, called beehives, and that a colonel dismissed the story. This is halted when January hands over Joker a promotion citation, granting him the rank of Sergeant. He reluctantly takes the promotion and is ordered to rest up for the following morning.