U.S. 761st Tank Battalion
Encyclopedia
The 761st Tank Battalion was an independent tank battalion
of the United States Army
during World War II. The 761st was made up primarily of African-American soldiers, who by federal law were not permitted to serve alongside white troops; the Army did not officially desegregate until after World War II. They were known as the “Black Panthers” after their unit's distinctive insignia; their motto was “Come out fighting”.
, the commander of Army Ground Forces, successfully argued that "colored" units should be employed in combat. At McNair's suggestion, the US Army began to experiment with segregated combat units in 1941; the program was supported by, and given national exposure in, Life magazine
.
The 761st was constituted on 15 March 1942, and activated 1 April 1942, at Camp Claiborne
, Louisiana
. The battalion began training in M5 Stuart light tanks. They learned how to maneuver, mount, dismount, and maintain the vehicle's 37 mm main gun and .30 caliber machine guns. Final training was at Fort Hood, Texas, where they were upgraded to the M4 Sherman
medium tank, which had a 75 mm main gun, two .30 caliber machine guns, a .50 caliber machine gun, and a two-inch smoke mortar.
Most of the black tankers had to train in bases located in deep Southern states such as Kentucky
, Louisiana, and Texas. In the days before the civil rights advances made in the 1960s, black people were still treated harshly in the south and often considered an inferior race. The men of the 761st trained for almost two years, conscious of the fact that white units were being sent overseas after as little as two or three months.
and Camp Livingston
who would visit Alexandria, Louisiana
on weekend leave. A notable event was in March 1943, when several members of the unit were severely beaten, and another one found dead on the train tracks in Alexandria. After word spread, several members of the 761st commandeered six tanks and a half-track in an attempt to end the intimidation by the town's citizens. Lieutenant Colonel Bates however persuaded them to cease their retaliation, and he would attempt to straighten the situation out.
. During the 761st's training, a white bus driver told Robinson to move to the back of the bus, and Robinson refused. Although his battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Paul L. Bates
, refused to consider the court-martial
charges put forward by the arresting Military Policemen, the base commander transferred Robinson to the 758th Tank Battalion, whose commander was willing to sign the insubordination
court-martial consent. Robinson would eventually be acquitted of all charges, though he never saw combat. He became famous a few years later when he was instrumental in the desegregation of professional baseball.
, Commander of the U.S. Second Army
, rated the unit "superior" after a special review and deemed the unit "combat ready". After a brief deployment to England, the 761st landed in France via Omaha Beach
on 10 October 1944. The unit arrived (with six white officers, thirty black officers, and 676 black enlisted men) and was assigned to General George Patton's US Third Army at his request, attached to the 26th Infantry Division
.
The unit traveled from Northern France in October 1944, to see action in the Rhineland
, in the Battle of the Bulge
, and in the final months of the war on German soil.
However, like most American military officers of the era, Patton expressed his doubts about using black men in combat. On returning to headquarters following the review, he remarked, "They gave a good first impression, but I have no faith in the inherent fighting ability of the race." He only put this sentiment aside and accepted the 761st when he desperately needed all the ground power he could get. Even after the war, Patton was not inclined to reform his perception of black soldiers. In War As I Knew It, he relates the interaction described above, and comments, "Individually they were good soldiers, but I expressed my belief at the time, and have never found the necessity of changing it, that a colored soldier cannot think fast enough to fight in armor."
Patton biographer Carlo D'Este
explained that "on the one hand he could and did admire the toughness and courage" of some black soldiers, but his writings can also be frequently read as "disdaining them and their officers because they were not part of his social order." Historian Hugh Cole pointed out that Patton was also the first American military leader to integrate rifle companies "when manpower got tight." Retired NBA Hall-of-Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
, author of Brothers In Arms: The Epic Story of the 761st Tank Battalion, WWII's Forgotten Heroes, agreed that although Patton was a bigot like most, the fact remains that he did lend his name to the advancement of blacks in the military at the time, unlike most other military officers (Patton did prevent a black soldier from being lynched while serving as commander of a fort in El Paso
before the war.). Most of the veterans of the 761st that Abdul-Jabbar interviewed stated they were proud to have served under a general widely considered one of the most brilliant and feared Allied military leaders of World War II.
During the Battle of the Bulge, German soldiers who had raided American warehouses were reported to have disguised themselves as Americans
guarding the checkpoints in order to ambush American soldiers. Patton solved this problem by ordering black soldiers, including the 761st, to guard the checkpoints, and gave the order to shoot any white soldiers at the checkpoints who acted suspiciously.
, Vic-sur-Seille
and Morville
, often at the leading edge of the advance. The unit endured 183 days of continuous operational employment.
In November 1944 the unit had suffered 156 casualties; 24 men killed
, 88 wounded, and 44 non-battle. The unit also lost 14 tanks and another 20 damaged in combat. In December, the battalion was rushed to the aid of the 101st Airborne Division
at Bastogne
.
After the Battle of the Bulge, the unit opened the way for the U.S. 4th Armored Division
into Germany during an action that breached the Siegfried Line
. In the final days of the war in Europe, the 761st was one of the first American units to reach the Steyr
in Austria, at the Enns River
, where they met with Ukrainians
of the Soviet Army
.
The 761st was deactivated 1 June 1946 in Germany.
was awarded posthumously to Staff Sergeant
Ruben Rivers
in 1997.
Official Citation:
fire on the US positions.
After manning a replacement tank, Crecy's new vehicle lost traction in heavy mud and he was forced to exit the tank under fierce machine gun, antitank, and artillery fire to free the tracks. When attacked by German infantry, he had to abandon his salvage efforts to man the .50-caliber machine gun, effectively holding off the advancing enemy, then forcing them to withdraw.
Described as a baby-faced, "quiet, easy-going, meek-looking fellow", Crecy had destroyed an antitank position and a number of German machine gun positions armed only with a machine gun and without regard for his personal safety, under heavy fire. His men reportedly experienced difficulty getting the machine gun away from him after the action.
Crecy was nominated for the Medal of Honor and received a battlefield commission, eventually retiring with the rank of Major. His heroic actions earned him the title "Baddest Man in the 761st" from his comrades.
by President Jimmy Carter
on 24 January 1978, for their WWII service. The 761st Tank Battalion's award became official on 10 April 1978 by the Department of the Army under General Orders Number 5.
) often did not receive a warm welcome home as most white units did. Their unequal treatment was a source of much disappointment and discouragement. However, the distinguished service of many black combat units helped convince the government, now under President Harry S. Truman
, to finally desegregate
the US Armed Forces soon after the war ended.
On 24 November 1947, the 761st was reactivated (as an integrated unit) at Fort Knox
, Kentucky
, and assigned to the Regular Army, where it served until again deactivated on 15 March 1955.
during a ceremony attended by surviving veterans on 10 November 2005, as a permanent tribute to soldiers who have served and continue to serve throughout the world for liberty, honor and democracy. The monument features four black granite tablets surrounding a life-size marble sculpture of a 761st Tank Battalion fighter kneeling atop a black granite pedestal engraved with a tank on the front and a panther on the back.
The monument is located on 761st Tank Battalion Drive.
Countries: France, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, Germany, and Austria.
was produced. The documentary depicted the battalion's liberation of concentration camps during 1945, but was criticized for misidentifying the precise units and camps involved.
Most recently, Steven A. White executive produced an independent, feature length, high definition documentary on the 761st Tank Battalion. The film, entitled 761st is written, produced, and directed by Pete Chatmon
and produced by 761st Tank Battalion unit historian, Wayne Robinson. It features interviews with eleven combat veterans of the 761st and is narrated by Andre Braugher.
Several of the later episodes of The History Channel
series Patton 360 featured 761st veteran William McBurney who related his experiences with the battalion in the Lorraine Campaign, the Battle of the Bulge, and in the ultimate conquest of the German homeland.
There is a scene in the 1978 TV movie, Ike: The War Years, in which white soldiers are relieved by a members of black tank unit during the Battle of the Bulge
. In this scene, which involves General Patton, the tank pulls up and out pop African American soldiers; the white soldiers cheer in delight. This is likely a brief portrayal of the 761st Tank Battalion.
A 1993 episode of Law & Order
titled "Profile" featured a 72 year-old assault victim played by Joe Seneca
who credited his experiences with the 761st for saving his life.
In an episode of The Cosby Show
, Cliff Huxtable and some male friends are discussing their military experiences and one of them describes in detail his World War II exploits as a member of the 761st Tank Battalion.
Actor Morgan Freeman
and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
are co-producing a new movie about the 761st, based on Jabbar’s and co-writer Anthony Walton's 2004 book, Brothers in Arms. On 15 December 2006, Freeman discussed the film and working with Will Smith
, and possibly Denzel Washington
, on it in the near future.
For five seasons, African American actor Ivan Dixon
portrayed Sergeant Kinchloe, a radio operator fluent in German on the popular television series "Hogan's Heroes
".
The science-fiction novel, The Light of Men (2008) by Andrew Salmon, marks the debut of the 761st in print fiction. In the novel, the 761st liberate the fictional concentration camp of Gutundbose in which the story is set.
In the 1981 police mystery Chiefs, written by Stuart Woods
, and the CBS
mini-series of the same name, the 761st is mentioned as the unit of the ill-fated black mechanic Marshall Parker
, killed after being arrested on false pretenses by Sonny Butts and Charley Ward, beaten and shot. Later, it is revealed as having been the unit of the new black police chief of Delano, GA, Tucker Watts, who was once, much earlier, known as Willie Cole
, whose father had murdered Delano's first chief of police, Will Henry Lee.
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
during World War II. The 761st was made up primarily of African-American soldiers, who by federal law were not permitted to serve alongside white troops; the Army did not officially desegregate until after World War II. They were known as the “Black Panthers” after their unit's distinctive insignia; their motto was “Come out fighting”.
Prior to combat
Before and during World War II, American military leaders had reservations about using African American soldiers in combat. General Lesley J. McNairLesley J. McNair
General Lesley James McNair was an American Army officer who served during World War I and World War II. He was killed by friendly fire when a USAAF Eighth Air Force bomb landed in his foxhole near Saint-Lô during Operation Cobra as part of the Battle of Normandy.McNair, Frank Maxwell Andrews and...
, the commander of Army Ground Forces, successfully argued that "colored" units should be employed in combat. At McNair's suggestion, the US Army began to experiment with segregated combat units in 1941; the program was supported by, and given national exposure in, Life magazine
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
.
The 761st was constituted on 15 March 1942, and activated 1 April 1942, at Camp Claiborne
Camp Claiborne
Camp Claiborne was a U.S. Army military camp during World War II located in Rapides Parish in central Louisiana. The camp was under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Eighth Service Command, and included 23,000 acres ....
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. The battalion began training in M5 Stuart light tanks. They learned how to maneuver, mount, dismount, and maintain the vehicle's 37 mm main gun and .30 caliber machine guns. Final training was at Fort Hood, Texas, where they were upgraded to the M4 Sherman
M4 Sherman
The M4 Sherman, formally Medium Tank, M4, was the primary tank used by the United States during World War II. Thousands were also distributed to the Allies, including the British Commonwealth and Soviet armies, via lend-lease...
medium tank, which had a 75 mm main gun, two .30 caliber machine guns, a .50 caliber machine gun, and a two-inch smoke mortar.
Most of the black tankers had to train in bases located in deep Southern states such as Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, Louisiana, and Texas. In the days before the civil rights advances made in the 1960s, black people were still treated harshly in the south and often considered an inferior race. The men of the 761st trained for almost two years, conscious of the fact that white units were being sent overseas after as little as two or three months.
Racial Tension
There were many acts of racism against all the black battalions, including deaths of black soldiers from nearby Camp PolkCamp Polk
Camp Polk may refer to*Camp Polk , a former military installation in the U.S. state of Oregon*Fort Polk, a United States Army post located near Leesville, Louisiana...
and Camp Livingston
Camp Livingston
Camp Livingston was a U.S. Army military camp during World War II located on the Rapides Parish and Grant Parish line in north Louisiana, north of Pineville, Louisiana.- History :...
who would visit Alexandria, Louisiana
Alexandria, Louisiana
Alexandria is a city in and the parish seat of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies on the south bank of the Red River in almost the exact geographic center of the state. It is the principal city of the Alexandria metropolitan area which encompasses all of Rapides and Grant parishes....
on weekend leave. A notable event was in March 1943, when several members of the unit were severely beaten, and another one found dead on the train tracks in Alexandria. After word spread, several members of the 761st commandeered six tanks and a half-track in an attempt to end the intimidation by the town's citizens. Lieutenant Colonel Bates however persuaded them to cease their retaliation, and he would attempt to straighten the situation out.
Jackie Robinson confronts bigotry
The most famous member of the 761st was First Lieutenant Jack RobinsonJackie Robinson
Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947...
. During the 761st's training, a white bus driver told Robinson to move to the back of the bus, and Robinson refused. Although his battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Paul L. Bates
Paul L. Bates
Paul Levern Bates served a distinguished and decorated career in the United States Army, which most notably included commanding the first black tank battalion to enter combat in World War II, however he also gained notoriety as the white colonel who refused to court-martial future Baseball Hall of...
, refused to consider the court-martial
Court-martial
A court-martial is a military court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the armed forces subject to military law, and, if the defendant is found guilty, to decide upon punishment.Most militaries maintain a court-martial system to try cases in which a breach of...
charges put forward by the arresting Military Policemen, the base commander transferred Robinson to the 758th Tank Battalion, whose commander was willing to sign the insubordination
Insubordination
Insubordination is the act of willfully disobeying an authority. Refusing to perform an action that is unethical or illegal is not insubordination; neither is refusing to perform an action that is not within the scope of authority of the person issuing the order.Insubordination is typically a...
court-martial consent. Robinson would eventually be acquitted of all charges, though he never saw combat. He became famous a few years later when he was instrumental in the desegregation of professional baseball.
Deployment
General Ben LearBen Lear
Benjamin Lear was a United States Army General.Ben Lear was born in Hamilton, Ontario on May 12, 1879. His military service began in 1898, when he enlisted with the 1st Colorado Infantry, USV, for the Spanish-American War as a First Sergeant...
, Commander of the U.S. Second Army
U.S. Second Army
Second United States Army was formed 15 October 1918 during World War I. It functioned as a training and administrative headquarters until being inactivated 15 April 1919....
, rated the unit "superior" after a special review and deemed the unit "combat ready". After a brief deployment to England, the 761st landed in France via Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach is the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II...
on 10 October 1944. The unit arrived (with six white officers, thirty black officers, and 676 black enlisted men) and was assigned to General George Patton's US Third Army at his request, attached to the 26th Infantry Division
26th Infantry Division (United States)
The 26th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the United States Army. As a major formation of the Massachusetts Army National Guard, it was based in Boston, Massachusetts for most of its history...
.
The unit traveled from Northern France in October 1944, to see action in the Rhineland
Rhineland
Historically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....
, in the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
, and in the final months of the war on German soil.
Patton
As the 761st was about to enter combat, Patton reviewed the battalion and made a speech to the men which offered a guarded vote of confidence in their abilities:Men, you're the first Negro tankers to ever fight in the American Army. I would never have asked for you if you weren't good. I have nothing but the best in my Army. I don't care what color you are as long as you go up there and kill those Kraut sons of bitches. Everyone has their eyes on you and is expecting great things from you. Most of all your race is looking forward to your success. Don't let them down and damn you, don't let me down!
However, like most American military officers of the era, Patton expressed his doubts about using black men in combat. On returning to headquarters following the review, he remarked, "They gave a good first impression, but I have no faith in the inherent fighting ability of the race." He only put this sentiment aside and accepted the 761st when he desperately needed all the ground power he could get. Even after the war, Patton was not inclined to reform his perception of black soldiers. In War As I Knew It, he relates the interaction described above, and comments, "Individually they were good soldiers, but I expressed my belief at the time, and have never found the necessity of changing it, that a colored soldier cannot think fast enough to fight in armor."
Patton biographer Carlo D'Este
Carlo D'Este
Carlo D'Este is an American military historian and biographer, author of several books, especially on World War II. He is a retired U.S...
explained that "on the one hand he could and did admire the toughness and courage" of some black soldiers, but his writings can also be frequently read as "disdaining them and their officers because they were not part of his social order." Historian Hugh Cole pointed out that Patton was also the first American military leader to integrate rifle companies "when manpower got tight." Retired NBA Hall-of-Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
, author of Brothers In Arms: The Epic Story of the 761st Tank Battalion, WWII's Forgotten Heroes, agreed that although Patton was a bigot like most, the fact remains that he did lend his name to the advancement of blacks in the military at the time, unlike most other military officers (Patton did prevent a black soldier from being lynched while serving as commander of a fort in El Paso
El Paso
El Paso, a city in the U.S. state of Texas, on the border with Mexico.El Paso may also refer to:-Geography:Colombia:* El Paso, CesarSpain:*El Paso, Santa Cruz de TenerifeUnited States:...
before the war.). Most of the veterans of the 761st that Abdul-Jabbar interviewed stated they were proud to have served under a general widely considered one of the most brilliant and feared Allied military leaders of World War II.
During the Battle of the Bulge, German soldiers who had raided American warehouses were reported to have disguised themselves as Americans
Operation Greif
Operation Greif was a special false flag operation commanded by Waffen-SS commando Otto Skorzeny during the Battle of the Bulge. The operation was the brainchild of Adolf Hitler, and its purpose was to capture one or more of the bridges over the Meuse river before they could be destroyed...
guarding the checkpoints in order to ambush American soldiers. Patton solved this problem by ordering black soldiers, including the 761st, to guard the checkpoints, and gave the order to shoot any white soldiers at the checkpoints who acted suspiciously.
Combat record
The battalion first saw combat on 7 November 1944, fighting through towns such as MoyenvicMoyenvic
Moyenvic is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.The village festival, which begins this Friday by the lottery, once took place on October 30.* U.S...
, Vic-sur-Seille
Vic-sur-Seille
Vic-sur-Seille is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Moselle department*Parc naturel régional de Lorraine...
and Morville
Morville
- Belgium :* Morville, Belgium, a part of Florennes in the province of Namur- France :* Morville, Manche, in the Manche département* Morville, Vosges, in the Vosges département* Morville-en-Beauce, in the Loiret département...
, often at the leading edge of the advance. The unit endured 183 days of continuous operational employment.
In November 1944 the unit had suffered 156 casualties; 24 men killed
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
, 88 wounded, and 44 non-battle. The unit also lost 14 tanks and another 20 damaged in combat. In December, the battalion was rushed to the aid of the 101st Airborne Division
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
at Bastogne
Bastogne
Bastogne Luxembourgish: Baaschtnech) is a Walloon municipality of Belgium located in the province of Luxembourg in the Ardennes. The municipality of Bastogne includes the old communes of Longvilly, Noville, Villers-la-Bonne-Eau, and Wardin...
.
After the Battle of the Bulge, the unit opened the way for the U.S. 4th Armored Division
U.S. 4th Armored Division
The 4th Armored Division of the United States Army was an armored division that compiled a distinguished career in the European theater of World War II. Unlike many other World War II U.S. armored divisions, the 4th never adopted an official divisional nickname or slogan...
into Germany during an action that breached the Siegfried Line
Siegfried Line
The original Siegfried line was a line of defensive forts and tank defences built by Germany as a section of the Hindenburg Line 1916–1917 in northern France during World War I...
. In the final days of the war in Europe, the 761st was one of the first American units to reach the Steyr
Steyr
Steyr is a town, located in the Austrian federal state of Upper Austria. The town is situated at the confluence of the rivers Steyr and Enns. Steyr is Austria's 12th most populated town and simultaneously the 3rd largest town in Upper Austria....
in Austria, at the Enns River
Enns River
The Enns is a southern tributary of the Danube River, joining northward at Enns, Austria. The Enns River spans , in a flat-J-shape. It flows from its source near the towns of Gasthofalm and Flachau, generally eastward through Radstadt, Schladming, and Liezen, then turns north near Hieflau, to flow...
, where they met with Ukrainians
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
of the Soviet Army
Soviet Army
The Soviet Army is the name given to the main part of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union between 1946 and 1992. Previously, it had been known as the Red Army. Informally, Армия referred to all the MOD armed forces, except, in some cases, the Soviet Navy.This article covers the Soviet Ground...
.
The 761st was deactivated 1 June 1946 in Germany.
Medal of Honor for Ruben Rivers
For unusual heroism in serving with Company A of the 761st, the Medal of HonorMedal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
was awarded posthumously to Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company.-Australia:...
Ruben Rivers
Ruben Rivers
Ruben Rivers was a Staff Sergeant in the 761st Tank Battalion, black tank battalion which served with distinction in the European Theater of Operations during World War II. Sgt...
in 1997.
Official Citation:
For extraordinary heroism in action during the 15–19 November 1944, toward Guebling, France. Though severely wounded in the leg, Sergeant Rivers refused medical treatment and evacuation, took command of another tank, and advanced with his company in Guebling the next day. Repeatedly refusing evacuation, Sergeant Rivers continued to direct his tank's fire at enemy positions through the morning of 19 November 1944. At dawn, Company A's tanks began to advance towards Bougaktroff, but were stopped by enemy fire. Sergeant Rivers, joined by another tank, opened fire on the enemy tanks, covering company A as they withdrew. While doing so, Sergeant River's tank was hit, killing him and wounding the crew. Staff Sergeant Rivers' fighting spirit and daring leadership were an inspiration to his unit and exemplify the highest traditions of military service.
"Baddest Man in the 761st"
Tank commander Sergeant Warren G. H. Crecy came to the aid of his men on 10 November 1944, and fought through enemy positions until his tank was destroyed. He eliminated an enemy position that had knocked out his tank by commandeering a vehicle armed with only a .30-caliber machine gun. He then eliminated the German forward observers who were directing artilleryArtillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
fire on the US positions.
After manning a replacement tank, Crecy's new vehicle lost traction in heavy mud and he was forced to exit the tank under fierce machine gun, antitank, and artillery fire to free the tracks. When attacked by German infantry, he had to abandon his salvage efforts to man the .50-caliber machine gun, effectively holding off the advancing enemy, then forcing them to withdraw.
Described as a baby-faced, "quiet, easy-going, meek-looking fellow", Crecy had destroyed an antitank position and a number of German machine gun positions armed only with a machine gun and without regard for his personal safety, under heavy fire. His men reportedly experienced difficulty getting the machine gun away from him after the action.
Crecy was nominated for the Medal of Honor and received a battlefield commission, eventually retiring with the rank of Major. His heroic actions earned him the title "Baddest Man in the 761st" from his comrades.
Presidential Unit Citation
After decades of racial tensions in the United States began to ease, the battalion was belatedly awarded the Presidential Unit CitationPresidential Unit Citation (US)
The Presidential Unit Citation, originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and allies for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy on or after 7 December 1941...
by President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
on 24 January 1978, for their WWII service. The 761st Tank Battalion's award became official on 10 April 1978 by the Department of the Army under General Orders Number 5.
After World War II
Returning soldiers of African-American units (the 761st had been the first of many segregated combat units, including the 92nd Infantry Division and the famous Tuskegee AirmenTuskegee Airmen
The Tuskegee Airmen is the popular name of a group of African American pilots who fought in World War II. Formally, they were the 332nd Fighter Group and the 477th Bombardment Group of the U.S. Army Air Corps....
) often did not receive a warm welcome home as most white units did. Their unequal treatment was a source of much disappointment and discouragement. However, the distinguished service of many black combat units helped convince the government, now under President Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
, to finally desegregate
Executive Order 9981
Executive Order 9981 is an executive order issued on July 26, 1948 by U.S. President Harry S. Truman. It expanded on Executive Order 8802 by establishing equality of treatment and opportunity in the Armed Services for people of all races, religions, or national origins."In 1947, Randolph, along...
the US Armed Forces soon after the war ended.
On 24 November 1947, the 761st was reactivated (as an integrated unit) at Fort Knox
Fort Knox
Fort Knox is a United States Army post in Kentucky south of Louisville and north of Elizabethtown. The base covers parts of Bullitt, Hardin, and Meade counties. It currently holds the Army Human Resources Center of Excellence to include the Army Human Resources Command, United States Army Cadet...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, and assigned to the Regular Army, where it served until again deactivated on 15 March 1955.
Permanent Monument
A monument dedicated to the 761st Tank Battalion was unveiled at Fort Hood, TexasFort Hood, Texas
Fort Hood is a United States military post located outside of Killeen, Texas. The post is named after Confederate General John Bell Hood. It islocated halfway between Austin and Waco, about from each, within the U.S. state of Texas....
during a ceremony attended by surviving veterans on 10 November 2005, as a permanent tribute to soldiers who have served and continue to serve throughout the world for liberty, honor and democracy. The monument features four black granite tablets surrounding a life-size marble sculpture of a 761st Tank Battalion fighter kneeling atop a black granite pedestal engraved with a tank on the front and a panther on the back.
The monument is located on 761st Tank Battalion Drive.
Awards
- CAMPAIGN STREAMERS: Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe.
- Silver StarSilver StarThe Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
: 11 - Bronze StarBronze Star MedalThe Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
: 69
Countries: France, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, Germany, and Austria.
Attachments
- Third Army:
- 4th Armored Division (United States)
- 1st, 26th26th Infantry Division (United States)The 26th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the United States Army. As a major formation of the Massachusetts Army National Guard, it was based in Boston, Massachusetts for most of its history...
, 71st and 87th Infantry Divisions - 17th Airborne Division (United States)
- 17th Armored Group
- Seventh Army:
- 1st and 103rd Infantry Divisions
- Ninth ArmyU.S. Ninth ArmyThe Ninth United States Army was one of the main U.S. Army combat commands used during the campaign in Northwest Europe in 1944 and 1945. It was commanded from its inception by Lieutenant General William Simpson...
:- 79th and 95th Infantry Divisions
- XVI Corps
| (1 April 1942 – 1 June 1946) | |
|---|---|
| Lt Col Edward E. Cruise | 1 April 1942 – 21 November 1942 |
| Maj John R. Wright, Jr. | 22 November 1942 – 3 July 1943 |
| Lt Col Paul L. Bates | 4 July 1943 – 8 November 1944 |
| Lt Col Hollis E. Hunt | 9 November 1944 – 23 February 1945 |
| Lt Col Paul L. Bates | 24 February 1945 – 1 June 1946 |
Dramatizations and portrayals
In 1992, a documentary titled Liberators: Fighting on Two Fronts in World War IILiberators: Fighting on Two Fronts in World War II
Liberators: Fighting on Two Fronts in World War II is a 1992 documentary film directed by Bill Miles. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature....
was produced. The documentary depicted the battalion's liberation of concentration camps during 1945, but was criticized for misidentifying the precise units and camps involved.
Most recently, Steven A. White executive produced an independent, feature length, high definition documentary on the 761st Tank Battalion. The film, entitled 761st is written, produced, and directed by Pete Chatmon
Pete Chatmon
Pete Chatmon is an American filmmaker best known for writing, producing, and directing the feature film Premium, starring Dorian Missick, Zoe Saldana, Hill Harper, Eva Pigford, Frankie Faison, and William Sadler...
and produced by 761st Tank Battalion unit historian, Wayne Robinson. It features interviews with eleven combat veterans of the 761st and is narrated by Andre Braugher.
Several of the later episodes of The History Channel
The History Channel
History, formerly known as The History Channel, is an American-based international satellite and cable TV channel that broadcasts a variety of reality shows and documentary programs including those of fictional and non-fictional historical content, together with speculation about the future.-...
series Patton 360 featured 761st veteran William McBurney who related his experiences with the battalion in the Lorraine Campaign, the Battle of the Bulge, and in the ultimate conquest of the German homeland.
There is a scene in the 1978 TV movie, Ike: The War Years, in which white soldiers are relieved by a members of black tank unit during the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
. In this scene, which involves General Patton, the tank pulls up and out pop African American soldiers; the white soldiers cheer in delight. This is likely a brief portrayal of the 761st Tank Battalion.
A 1993 episode of Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
titled "Profile" featured a 72 year-old assault victim played by Joe Seneca
Joe Seneca
Joe Seneca was an American film and television actor who had a lengthy Hollywood career, portraying bit parts in many major films and television sitcoms spanning from the 1970s to the 1990s....
who credited his experiences with the 761st for saving his life.
In an episode of The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992...
, Cliff Huxtable and some male friends are discussing their military experiences and one of them describes in detail his World War II exploits as a member of the 761st Tank Battalion.
Actor Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman is an American actor, film director, aviator and narrator. He is noted for his reserved demeanor and authoritative speaking voice. Freeman has received Academy Award nominations for his performances in Street Smart, Driving Miss Daisy, The Shawshank Redemption and Invictus and won...
and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
are co-producing a new movie about the 761st, based on Jabbar’s and co-writer Anthony Walton's 2004 book, Brothers in Arms. On 15 December 2006, Freeman discussed the film and working with Will Smith
Will Smith
Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
, and possibly Denzel Washington
Denzel Washington
Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter, director, and film producer. He first rose to prominence when he joined the cast of the medical drama, St. Elsewhere, playing Dr...
, on it in the near future.
For five seasons, African American actor Ivan Dixon
Ivan Dixon
Ivan Dixon was an American actor, director, and producer best known for his series role in the 1960s sitcom Hogan's Heroes, for his role in the 1967 telefilm The Final War of Olly Winter, and for directing hundreds of episodes of television series...
portrayed Sergeant Kinchloe, a radio operator fluent in German on the popular television series "Hogan's Heroes
Hogan's Heroes
Hogan's Heroes is an American television sitcom that ran for 168 episodes from September 17, 1965, to March 28, 1971, on the CBS network. The show was set in a German prisoner of war camp during the Second World War. Bob Crane had the starring role as Colonel Robert E...
".
The science-fiction novel, The Light of Men (2008) by Andrew Salmon, marks the debut of the 761st in print fiction. In the novel, the 761st liberate the fictional concentration camp of Gutundbose in which the story is set.
In the 1981 police mystery Chiefs, written by Stuart Woods
Stuart Woods
-Early life:Stuart Woods was born in Manchester, Georgia and graduated in 1959 from the University of Georgia, with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. After graduation he enrolled in the Air National Guard, spending two months in basic training before moving to New York, where he began a career in...
, and the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
mini-series of the same name, the 761st is mentioned as the unit of the ill-fated black mechanic Marshall Parker
Marshall Parker
Marshall Joyner Parker was an American Republican politician from South Carolina. Born in Seaboard, North Carolina, he graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill . In his first year of college, Mr. Parker was awarded with the Freshmen Athlete of the Year Award. Later, he...
, killed after being arrested on false pretenses by Sonny Butts and Charley Ward, beaten and shot. Later, it is revealed as having been the unit of the new black police chief of Delano, GA, Tucker Watts, who was once, much earlier, known as Willie Cole
Willie Cole
Willie Cole is a noted contemporary African American sculptor and conceptual and visual artist.-Art:Willie Cole’s art is best known for assembling and transforming ordinary domestic and used objects such as irons, ironing boards, high-heeled shoes, hair dryers, bicycle parts, wooden matches, lawn...
, whose father had murdered Delano's first chief of police, Will Henry Lee.
See also
- Jackie RobinsonJackie RobinsonJack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947...
- Ruben RiversRuben RiversRuben Rivers was a Staff Sergeant in the 761st Tank Battalion, black tank battalion which served with distinction in the European Theater of Operations during World War II. Sgt...
- Warren G. H. Crecy
- 758th Tank Battalion
- 784th Tank Battalion
External links
- German site / Deutsche Seite über die 761 in der Pfalz
- Army report on the 761st
- 761st veteran's website
- Minority Groups in World War II extracted from Selective Service and Victory: The 4th Report of the Director of Selective Service.
- States Army in World War II; Special Studies; CMH Pub 11-4: The Employment of Negro Troops United States Army Center of Military History
- Joseph Wilson’s article @ The History Net.com
- Morgan Freeman’s comments from BBC News.com
- A Historic Context for the African-American Military Experience @ the US Army Corps of Engineers website
- Robert F. Jefferson’s African Americans in the U.S. Army During World War II @ the US Army Corps of Engineers website
- Video of Lorraine American Cemetery with footage honoring 761st Tank Battalion Medal of Honor recipient SSG Ruben Rivers.