It's complicated. For a long time, 81 was considered the true first appearance. Some people still consider it to be the first app.
Do you mind clarifying?
That's not a question until you put a question mark in there. Don't expect an answer yet.
Fixed!
Great!!
As Dave was explaining above, #81, if you opened up the cover and actually read the book, dealt with a character named Sgt. Rocky. It was noted in Overstreet for nearly forever that #81 was the first appearance of Sgt. Rock. Just looking at the cover of 81, it says "The Rock of Easy Co.", so that's where they got that idea from. As the creative teams were obviously working their way towards creating a great, long-lasting character, they hadn't quite hit it yet. So, so close, but Sgt. Rocky is not Sgt. Rock.
#82 has a character in it, called Sgt. Rock. I think this is an extremely undervalued book, because it is the 1st Sgt. Rock. He's a minor character in one small story, and doesn't look or sound like Sgt. Rock.
#83 is now known as the 1st true appearance of Sgt. Rock. Kanigher and Kubert finally got it right. The man that everyone knows and recognizes as Sgt. Rock is all through this book.