the Soldier was desperate to join in on the action during World War 2. However due to unknown circumstances, he was rejected from every branch of the U.S. military. Not willing to give up, he eventually bought himself a ticket to Europe, and travelled to Poland. There, the Soldier taught himself how to use various weapons before beginning a "killing spree". During this event, the Soldier was awarded several distinguished medals, all of which he had designed himself. His "campaign" ended in 1949 when word got out that the war had ended four years earlier. It was around this time that the Soldier "befriended" the wizard Merasmus, becoming his roommate in his castle. Their relationship was horrible, though, as they constantly bickered and stole from each other. however this relationship went downhill very quickly, as Merasmus was often the scapegoat to the Soldier's antics. Later in 1968, the Soldier and 8 other mercenaries hired into TF Industries, where he was assigned to one of two subsidiaries (RED or BLU respectively) as part of a long-time armed conflict between the two adversaries in the infamous "Gravel War"; when the events of Team Fortress 2 take place. During Halloween of 1968, Merasmus had enough, and kicked Soldier out of his castle. Soldier later devised a plan of revenge in Doom-Mates by trashing Merasmus' home and evicting him, forming a rivalry between the two where Merasmus vowed to get revenge on the Soldier by any means necessary.