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761St Tank Battalion the 761St Tank Battalion Was a Separate Tank Battalion of the United States Army During World War II

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761St Tank Battalion the 761St Tank Battalion Was a Separate Tank Battalion of the United States Army During World War II 761st Black Panthers Page 1 of 4 761st Tank Battalion The 761st Tank Battalion was a separate tank battalion of the United States Army during World War II. The 761st was made up primarily of African-American soldiers, who by War Department policy were not permitted to serve alongside white troops; the U.S. military did not officially desegregate until after World War II. The 761st were known as the Black Panthers after their unit's distinctive insignia, which featured a black panther’s head; their motto was "Come out fighting". The battalion received a Presidential Unit Citation for its actions. In addition, a large number of individual members also received medals, including one Medal of Honor, 11 Silver Stars and about 300 Purple Hearts.[1] The unit has been called "one of the most effective tank battalions in World War II". Immediately before and during World War II, U.S. military leaders had reservations about using African American soldiers in combat.[2] General Lesley J. McNair, the commander of Army Ground Forces, successfully argued that "colored" units should be employed in combat. At McNair's suggestion, the U.S. Army began to experiment with segregated combat units in 1941; the program was supported by, and given national exposure in, Life magazine.[3] The 761st was constituted on 15 March 1942, and activated 1 April 1942, at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana. Most of the black tankers had to train in installations 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 TAKEN FROM: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/761st_Tank_Battalion_(United_States) COLEMAN A. YOUNG POST 202 761st Black Panthers Page 2 of 4 considered an inferior race there. The men of the 761st trained for almost two years, conscious of the fact that white units were being sent overseas after much less training. Black soldiers of that time and place were subject to many racist crimes perpetrated by white soldiers, including a bloody riot between members of a neighboring segregated tank battalion and white military policemen in Alexandria, Louisiana on 10 January 1942.[10] Several members of the 761st vowed to retaliate. They commandeered six tanks and a half-track but were persuaded to stand down by Lieutenant Colonel Bates who promised to straighten the situation out.[11] The most famous member of the 761st was First Lieutenant Jack Roosevelt “Jackie” Robinson. During the 761st's training, a white bus driver told Robinson to move to the back of the bus. Robinson refused and was arrested. Battalion commander Lieutenant Colonel Paul L. Bates refused to consider the court-martial charges put forward by the arresting military policemen. The post commander transferred Robinson to the 758th Tank Battalion, whose commander was willing to sign the insubordination court-martial order.[15] Robinson was acquitted of all charges. After the war, he was instrumental in desegregating professional baseball. General Ben Lear, commander of the U.S. Second Army, rated the unit "superior"[16] 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. TAKEN FROM: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/761st_Tank_Battalion_(United_States) COLEMAN A. YOUNG POST 202 761st Black Panthers Page 3 of 4 The unit saw action in Northern France from October 1944, it fought in the Battle of the Bulge, later proceeding to the Rhineland, and spent the final months of the war on German soil. The 761st was deactivated 1 June 1946 in Germany. They have been called "one of the most effective tank battalions in World War II." In all, the battalion earned about 300 Purple Hearts.[1] After decades of racial tensions in the United States began to ease, the battalion was belatedly awarded the Presidential Unit Citation by President Jimmy Carter on 24 January 1978, for their World War II service. The 761st Tank Battalion's award became official on 10 April 1978 by the Department of the Army under General Orders Number 5. 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 Airmen) 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. TAKEN FROM: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/761st_Tank_Battalion_(United_States) COLEMAN A. YOUNG POST 202 761st Black Panthers Page 4 of 4 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 inactivated on 15 March 1955. Information from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/761st_Tank_Battalion_(United_States) Awards • CAMPAIGN STREAMERS: Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe. • Presidential Unit Citation • Medal of Honor: 1 • Purple Hearts: 296 (8 with clusters)[22] • Silver Stars: 11 • Bronze Stars: 69 Countries: France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, and Austria. TAKEN FROM: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/761st_Tank_Battalion_(United_States) COLEMAN A. YOUNG POST 202 .
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