During World War II, Captain America's sidekick was Bucky (a.k.a. James Buchanan Barnes), an orphan who had lost his father at the outset of the war. Although he had no super powers, Bucky bravely fought alongside Captain America throughout most of the war. In 1945, however, as hostilities drew to a close, Captain America and Bucky were in hot pursuit of the evil villain Baron Zemo who was intent on destroying mankind with an explosive device attached to an experimental drone plane. Bucky managed to board the plane and attempted to defuse the bomb, but it exploded in mid-air, killing him instantly.