Trained essentially as a public relations gestureto maintain the support of the black communityfor the war, the battalion was never intended tosee battle. They and their Sherman tanks covered thousands of miles and endured some of the fiercest fighting in Western Europe. Despite a casualty rate that approached 50 percent and an extreme shortage of personnel and equipment, the 761st would ultimately help liberate some thirty towns and villages, as well as several branch concentration camps. Seeing the contrast in their treatment abroad versus their treatment in the US, and by White US soldiers, gives the reader a true sense of how these men redefined what it means to be patriotic.

Brothers in Arms by Geraint Jones - Pan Macmillan Brothers in Arms by Geraint Jones - Pan Macmillan

The experience of the black serviceman in World War II is an important prelude to the Civil Rights struggles of the '50s and '60s.

Once the story in earnest begins, it is a quick and descriptive narrative that is easily followed by those familiar with tactical operations. I’m not a big fan of war stories, but I’m reading my kids’ summer reading books with them and this is what my middle chose from the nonfiction list. But then death and injury start to take their toll on The Firm, leaving Gez with PTSD and a new battle just beginning. They were sort of a hybrid unit that was spread out among infantry units, designed to work with infantry.

Brothers in Arms Series by Mary Connealy - Goodreads Brothers in Arms Series by Mary Connealy - Goodreads

But I recommend "Brothers in Arms" simply because the men of the 761st Tank Battalion, as well as all black WWII veterans, deserve for their story to be told. The much more powerful Mark V was the Panther, and its design was inspired by the excellent Soviet T-34.What is surprising is that so many people had to work so long and hard for them to receive the recognition that should have been theirs from the beginning. Never has the 761st truly received the notoriety they earned, but in “Brothers in Arms” Abdul-Jabar serves us a slice of justice. In addition, there was something amiss about parity and respect from their white peers and commanding officers. The five divisions of XII Corps held the southern portion of the front extending from Pont A Mousson to Moncourt Woods: These divisions numbered from north to south were the 80th, 35th, and 26th Infantry Divisions.

Brothers in Arms: Real War. True Friends. Unlikely Heroes. Brothers in Arms: Real War. True Friends. Unlikely Heroes.

The 100 Black Men of Long Beach hold an annual UCLA Literacy program for young 8-18 years old for a week. They would be placed alongside an all-white unit whose reactions to them ranged from caution to outright contempt, and win most of them over with their courage, skill, dedication and humanity, demolishing stereotypes that blacks weren't brave or intelligent enough fight or lead. Their status as an unattached unit hampered record keeping, as did "lost" commendations and paperwork and old stereotypes, to the extent that even other black Americans refused to believe that they had fought at all, let alone from inside the iconic Sherman tank.

Encased in steel, surrounded by highly explosive shells, a big and slow-moving target, every crew member was utterly vulnerable to enemy attack from all sides. The appalling way these men were treated both before and after their heroic service to this country is disgraceful and needs to receive wider attention. A fine tribute to these unsung heroes and a valuable addition to the literature on African American service in World War II. It makes me so angry to read about things like this, but I know how important it is and MORE people need to read these stories. It’s also the story of how black soldiers had to fight (literally and figuratively) for the right to fight the Germans.

Brothers in Arms by James Holland | Waterstones Brothers in Arms by James Holland | Waterstones

Through it all, they fought with unheralded but unexcelled valor and determination, and often with conspicuous gallantry. However, reaching the battlefield they were so shocked by the human carnage of bodies in pieces, losing friends they had trained with, losing Commanding Officers in the field. For a history like this, it helps to provide some broader context of what is going on around the unit.

million Black American men served and fought in the US military, and despite hundreds of well-documented stories of self-sacrifice by these men, not one of them were awarded the Medal of Honor. One of the Medal of Honor recipients from this review commission was Ruben Rivers of the 761st “Black Panther” Tank Battalion, which was an entirely Black battalion. The authors did a great job of providing background about the enlisted men and officers who proudly served their country. He won three national championships in the three seasons he was allowed to play in college (freshmen had to play on a freshman team back then so his first season doesn't count).