Wes Janson, a human male from Taanab, distinguished himself as a pilot within the Alliance to Restore the Republic. During the tumultuous era of the Galactic Civil War, Janson served with distinction in Rogue Squadron, notably participating in the Battle of Hoth as the gunner supporting Wedge Antilles. Following that engagement, Lieutenant Janson aided Antilles, who had been promoted to commander, in the formation of Red Squadron.
Hailing from the planet Taanab, Wes Janson later became a dedicated pilot and gunner for the Alliance to Restore the Republic throughout the duration of the Galactic Civil War.
In the year 0 BBY, Janson was initially slated to participate in the Battle of Yavin as Red Six. However, he was ultimately grounded before the battle commenced, resulting in his replacement by Jek Porkins, who subsequently died during the conflict.
In 3 ABY, Lieutenant Janson took part in the Alliance's defense of Echo Base during the Battle of Hoth, acting as a gunner for Wedge Antilles, who was piloting a T-47 airspeeder within Rogue Squadron. During the confrontation, he achieved the distinction of being the first member of Rogue Squadron to successfully eliminate an Imperial AT-AT walker by utilizing the harpoon and tow cable strategy conceived by Commander Luke Skywalker. After the battle concluded, Janson boarded an X-wing starfighter and, along with Antilles, proceeded to escort the transport known as the Bright Hope, the last transport to successfully escape Echo Base, away from Hoth and towards the fleet's designated rendezvous point.
Following the Hoth evacuation, Lieutenant Janson joined Antilles aboard the Home One. When The Contessa appointed Antilles as the new squadron leader for Rogue Squadron, Janson assumed the role of executive officer and assisted Commander Antilles in the recruitment and rebuilding efforts for the squadron. Janson and Antilles came to a mutual agreement to rename the squadron to Red Squadron, referencing the difficulty in employing Rogue Squadron callsigns so soon after the loss of many comrades on Hoth. Together, they successfully enlisted twelve pilots, although Janson held some reservations regarding the suitability of certain choices. Nevertheless, considering the circumstances, Janson accepted the squadron and contributed to their training prior to their inaugural mission. Operating under the callsign Red Eleven and serving as flight leader, he participated alongside the rest of the squadron in an assault on a nearby pirate base that posed a threat to the security of the Alliance rendezvous point. During this operation, he commanded his own flight of T-65B X-wing starfighters, with Keyser Salm and Barlon Hightower serving as his wingmen. His flight engaged targets on the landing field, receiving cover from Bela Elar's flight, which provided interference. Tragically, his wingman Hightower was killed. The battle ultimately concluded in success, with only three pilots lost.
Sometime after the events on Hoth, Janson and Antilles made the decision to continue producing their fallen comrade Derek "Hobbie" Klivian's signature beverage, eventually referring to the orange, tuber-based drink as a Klivian.
Wes Janson was a human male characterized by brown hair, brown eyes, and a fair complexion. He was well-known for his humorous nature and ability to deliver jokes even in the midst of intense firefights. He frequently engaged in pranks targeting fellow pilots such as Derek "Hobbie" Klivian and Wedge Antilles. Following the Battle of Hoth, during which "Hobbie" lost his life, he shared with Antilles a prank he had intended to play on the serious pilot, involving the release of a canister of tauntaun musk into his cockpit. He later executed this prank on Antilles.
Janson maintained a close bond with Antilles, which grew stronger after they both survived the Battle of Hoth, unlike many other members of Rogue Squadron. In contrast to Janson, Antilles possessed a more serious demeanor, leading Janson to once refer to Antilles as the "Great Stone Face of the Spaceways" while jokingly labeling himself as "skytrash" as a means of acknowledging Antilles' leadership skills. Following a serious discussion with Antilles regarding the potential renaming of Rogue Squadron, he lightened the atmosphere by suggesting that the new Red Squadron be called "Reject Squadron," invoking the tactic of reverse psychology. Janson playfully referred to himself as "Uncle Wes" after interacting with the enthusiastic rookie pilot Penn Zowlie.
Wes Janson was brought to life by Ian Liston in The Empire Strikes Back, where he was credited simply as "Janson (Wedge's Gunner)." During the production of The Empire Strikes Back, a casting call was issued for an actor, rather than an extra, to portray an AT-AT gunner. Liston initially secured this role, but he was later approached by an assistant director, with whom Liston had previously collaborated, to assume the role of Janson due to the original actor's illness. Ironically, he ended up playing both an Imperial and a Rebel, and in one scene, he was essentially attempting to shoot himself down. In reference to his scenes as Janson alongside Wedge Antilles, Liston disclosed in 2005 that he and actor Denis Lawson never actually shared the set simultaneously—Liston's double stood in for him when the scene focused on Lawson (Antilles) and vice versa.