The U.S. Army’s Black Tank Battalions in World War II

Sherman medium tanks, Company C, 761st Tank Battalion.

by Dale E. Wilson

In the early 1940s, a debate raged in the Office of the Chief, Army Ground Forces, as to whether black soldiers should be included in the Armored Force being created at Fort Knox, Kentucky.

The Armored Force argued against the idea of forming separate black tank units on the ground that it was not, technically, a separate branch, but a combination of arms and services already taking proportions of Negroes. In turn, Armored Force headquarters proposed using blacks in service detachments at Fort Knox. The blacks assigned to these units would work as chauffeurs, janitors, firemen, cooks, duty soldiers, and bandsmen.

On 8 May 1941, the unit to which the black tankers were assigned, the recently organized 78^th Tank Battalion (Light), was re-designated as the 758^th Tank Battalion (Light). While the 758^th was the Army’s first “Negro” tank battalion, not all of its members were black. (This was true of all of the black units formed during the war.) The initial cadre of officers and non-commissioned officers (NCOs) were white-although the NCO positions were gradually turned over to black soldiers as more experienced troops transferred in from the 9^th and 10^th Cavalry Regiments and newer soldiers earned more stripes.

The officer ranks were also integrated as the Armored Force Officer Candidate School turned out a number of black second lieutenants.

During this period, the battalion provided a cadre of officers and NCOs to form the nucleus of the 761^st Tank Battalion (Light), which was activated 1 April 1942 at Camp Clairborne, Louisiana.

Although there had been talk of forming an all-Negro armored division, that idea was shelved. Instead, the 758^th and 761^st were assigned to the 5^th Tank Group, the last of five three-battalion tank groups organized during the war. It picked up its third black tank battalion when the 784^th was activated in April 1943.

In September 1943, the 761^st shipped out to Fort Hood, Texas, where it dropped the “light” designation and picked up M4 Sherman tanks for the three line companies and added a Company D equipped with M5A1 light tanks.

The 761^st Tank Battalion

On 9 June 1944, three days after the invasion of Normandy, the 761^st was alerted for overseas movement. The advance party sailed from New York Harbor on 7 August, followed by the rest of the battalion three weeks later. After arriving in England, the battalion spent three weeks drawing new tanks and preparing equipment and men for transport to France.

During the remainder of October and the first week of November, the 761^st moved across France to where the Third Army was stalled in front of Metz.

On 2 November, General George S. Patton, standing atop a half-track, told the men of the 761^st:

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, so long as you go up there and kill those Kraut sonsabitches. Everyone has their eyes on you and is expecting great things from you. Most of all, your race is looking forward to you. Don’t let them down, and, damn you, don’t let me down.

Within a week the black tankers were involved in what was, for them, some of the most vicious fighting of the war. On 8 November, spearheading a major push by the 26^th Infantry Division south of Metz, the 761^st smashed into the German lines. Between 8 and 11 November, the battalion forced the numerically superior enemy force to withdraw, but lost numerous tanks and eighteen soldiers killed in action during the bitter battle.

The day before the battalion’s first fight, its commander was shot and seriously wounded.

The loss of its commander before the unit even reached the front might have been enough to unnerve the men of the 761^st, but this was followed by an even more unusual event. The first five tankers to die in the 761^st were all members of the same crew. Their vehicle was found untouched, their bodies sitting upright at their crew positions marred by nothing more than surprised looks on their faces.

The battalion kept up the pressure on the Germans for 183 consecutive days. The black tankers fought as both a separate tank battalion and in company-sized task forces with the 26^th, 71^st, 79^th, 87^th, 95^th and 103^rd Infantry Divisions, and the 17^th Airborne Division. They participated in major engagements in France, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, Germany, and Austria.

According to the Presidential Unit Citation presented to the battalion in April 1978, the black tankers distinguished themselves in a five-day battle with the 15^th SS Panzer Division near Tillet, Belgium, in January 1945, and again in March, when, acting as an armored spearhead, they broke through the Siegfried Line, paving the way for the 14^th Armored Division’s thrust to the Rhine River.

The citation credits the 761^st with inflicting thousands of enemy casualties, and with “cap­tur­ing, destroying, or aiding in the liberation of more than thirty major towns, four airfields, three am­muni­tion supply dumps, 461 wheeled vehicles, thirty-four tanks, 113 large guns, one radio station, and numerous individual and crew-served weapons.”

In accomplishing that, the unit endured a fifty per cent casualty rate—including thirty-four dead—and lost seventy-one tanks. Its men earned eleven Silver Stars, sixty-nine Bronze Stars (almost all for valor), and 296 Purple Hearts.

As the war drew to a close, the 761^st was the easternmost American unit in Austria, and linked up with Soviet forces at the Enns River near Steyr on 6 May 1945.

The 758^th Tank Battalion

While the soldiers of the 761^st were linking up with the 26^th Infantry Division in France, the 758^th Tank Battalion moved to Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia, for transportation to Italy. They left on 21 October and spent twenty-eight days at sea. In Italy, the battalion was attached to the 92^nd Infantry Division and saw action in the North Apennines and Po Valley campaigns.

Unlike the 761^st, the 758^th was broken up and cross-attached as separate companies throughout its combat tour, and never fought as a battalion. The problem of fragmentation was so great for the 758^th that the unit’s wartime supply officer never saw or heard from the Mortar Platoon from Thanks­giving 1944 until after the war ended in Italy in mid-1945. This fragmentation posed a special problem to the historian because published source materials (including after-action reports) were practically non-existent.

The heaviest fighting the tankers of the 758^th encountered occurred during February 1945, when the 92^nd Infantry Division battled across the Cinquale Canal.

An after action report from the 760^th Tank Battalion, to which most of the 758^th had been attached, stated that during seventy hours of bitter fighting spanning the 7^th through the 9^th of February, twenty tanks were lost—sixteen from the 760^th and four from the 758^th.

Because of the rugged terrain, the 758^th’s light tanks were used almost exclusively in an indirect fire role in support of attacking infantry.

The war ended for the members of the 758^th on 5 May 1945, although the unit stayed together in Italy until it was deactivated in September.

The 784^th Tank Battalion

In late December 1944, the 784^th Tank Battalion entered combat attached to the 104^th Infantry Division near Eschweiler, Germany. During early 1945, the 784^th operated primarily in an indirect fire role or in division reserve, where the black tankers helped infantrymen learn tank-infantry tactics.

The battalion’s after-action reports indicate that it encountered its heaviest fighting in March 1945, while attached to the 35^th Infantry Division, which was pushing toward the Rhine from the Roer River. While supporting the 137^th Infantry Regi­ment, elements of the 784^th encountered stiff Ger­man resistance and the battalion lost seventeen tanks and twenty-four men either missing or killed in action.

By war’s end, the soldiers of the 784^th had earned eight Silver Stars, thirty Bronze Stars, and fourteen Purple Hearts. The unit losses were twenty-two tanks, twenty-five soldiers killed in action, and four missing in action.

758th Tank Battalion

The 758th Tank Battalion was a tank battalion of the United States Army that served during World War II. The first armored unit to consist of African-American soldiers, the 758th was formed in 1941 and served in Italy.

On 13 January 1941, the U.S. Army established the 78th Tank Battalion, the first black armored unit. On March 1941 The tankers reported to Fort Knox, Kentucky, to begin armored warfare training. On 8 May 1941 at Fort Knox, Kentucky the 78th Tank Battalion was re-designated as the 758th Tank Battalion (Light). It was the first of three units that would form the all-black 5th Tank Group. The 758th trained in mechanized warfare using the M5 light tank. One of the battalion's more notable members was future baseball star Jackie Robinson. Robinson was transferred to the unit from the 761st Tank Battalion after an incident in which he refused to move to the back of a civilian bus. The 758th was permanently attached to the 92nd Infantry Division until 22 September 1945 when the unit was deactivated. The unit's insignia is the head of a black African elephant with large white tusks accompanied by the motto, "We Pierce".

The 758th was re-designated as the 64th Heavy Tank Battalion from 1949 to 1957. Today the unit exists as the 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment assigned to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 3rd Infantry Division. The 1–64th has served with distinction in several armed conflicts including Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Fox, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom. The unit currently operates from Fort Stewart, Georgia.

The African elephant remains the insignia of the unit and has earned them the nickname "The Tusker Regiment". Today they are known as the "Desert Rogues."

Nickname: "Tuskers"

Motto: We Pierce

Mascot: African Elephant

761st Tank Battalion

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 military 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 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. They have been called "one of the most effective tank battalions in World War II".

Before and during World War II, American military leaders had reservations about using African American soldiers in combat. 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 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 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 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 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 MPs in Alexandria, Louisiana on January 10, 1942. 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.

The most famous member of the 761st was First Lieutenant Jack Robinson. During the 761st's training, a white bus driver told Robinson to move to the back of the bus: Robinson refused. 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. 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" 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 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.

As the 761st was about to enter combat, General George S. 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 sonsofbitches. 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! They say it is patriotic to die for your country. Well, let’s see how many patriots we can make out of those German sonsofbitches.

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 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.

The battalion first saw combat on 7 November 1944, fighting through towns such as Moyenvic, Vic-sur-Seille and Morville-lès-Vic, often at the leading edge of the advance. The unit endured 183 days of continuous operational employment.

The 761st Tank Battalion suffered 156 casualties in November 1944; 24 men killed, 81 wounded, and 44 non-battle losses. The unit also lost 14 tanks evacuated and another 20 damaged in combat. In December, the battalion was rushed to the aid of the 101st Airborne Division at Bastogne. In all, the battalion earned about 300 Purple Hearts.

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 Steyr, Austria, at the Enns River, where they met with the 1st Ukrainian Front of the Soviet Red Army.

The 761st was deactivated 1 June 1946 in Germany. They have been called "one of the most effective tank battalions in World War II."

For unusual heroism in serving with Company A of the 761st, the Medal of Honor was awarded posthumously to Staff Sergeant Ruben Rivers in 1997.

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 [sic, correct name is Bourgaltroff], 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.

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 the enemy position that had knocked out his tank by commandeering a vehicle armed with only a .30-caliber machine gun. He then killed the German forward observers who were directing artillery 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 it. When attacked by German infantry, he had to abandon his salvage efforts to man the tank's .50-caliber machine gun, stopping the advancing enemy and 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.

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.

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.

A monument dedicated to the 761st Tank Battalion was unveiled at Fort Hood, Texas, during a ceremony attended by surviving veterans on 10 November 2005, as a permanent tribute to soldiers who had served and continued 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.

Details

Active:

1942–1946 (segregated unit)

1947–1955 (integrated unit)

Allegiance: United States of America

Branch: United States Army

Type: Separate tank battalion

Nickname: Black Panthers

Motto: Come Out Fighting

Engagements:

World War II

Moyenvic

Vic-sur-Seille

Morville

Battle of the Bulge

Awards:

Campaign Streamers

Northern France

Rhineland

Ardennes-Alsace

Central Europe

Presidential Unit Citation

Medal of Honor: 1

Purple Hearts: 296 (8 with clusters)

Silver Stars: 11

Bronze Stars: 69

Countries:

France

Belgium

the Netherlands

Luxembourg

Germany

Austria

Attachments:

Third Army:

4th Armored Division (United States)

1st, 26th, 71st and 87th Infantry Divisions

17th Airborne Division (United States)

17th Armored Group

Seventh Army:

1st and 103rd Infantry Divisions

Ninth Army:

79th and 95th Infantry Divisions

XVI Corps

Commanding Officers (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

Trezzvant Anderson's book, Come Out Fighting: The Epic Tale of the 761st Tank Battalion, 1942-1945, was published in 1945.

In 1992, a documentary titled Liberators: Fighting on Two Fronts in World War II 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. There was speculation that the movie was intended to reduce tensions between the Jewish and African-American communities.

In 2007, executive producer Steven A. White released an independent, feature length, high-definition documentary on the 761st Tank Battalion. The film, entitled 761st was 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.

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.

The 1991 novel Seven Six One by "G.F. Borden" was based on the experiences of the 761st Tank Battalion in Europe.

In the science fiction novel, The Light of Men (2008) by Andrew Salmon, 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, Georgia, Tucker Watts, who was once, much earlier, known as Willie Cole, whose father had murdered Delano's first chief of police, Will Henry Lee.

Ruben Rivers

Ruben Rivers (1921 – November 19, 1944) was a Staff Sergeant in the 761st Tank Battalion, a black tank battalion which served with distinction in the European Theater of Operations during World War II. Sgt. Rivers, who was half-Cherokee, was one of seven African-American soldiers to receive the Medal of Honor, although this official recognition of their heroic actions was not made until 1997.

Rivers was born to Willie and Lillian Rivers in 1921 in Tecumseh, Oklahoma. He grew up in nearby Hotulka, Oklahoma, where he and his eleven brothers and sisters worked on the family farm. After graduating from high school, Rivers worked on the railroad for a time.

With the United States' entry into World War II on behalf of the Allied cause, Rivers and two of his brothers joined the armed forces. Ruben would be the only one assigned to a combat unit however, training with the 761st Tank Battalion at Camp Hood in Texas. Nicknamed the “Black Panthers,” they were eventually assigned to General George S. Patton's US Third Army. Despite Patton's racism, the battalion was implemented and performed with distinction in a number of important battles, although Patton himself never officially recognized their accomplishments.

Rivers would play a critical role in some of the earliest action the 761st would see, becoming the battalion's initial hero, but also one of its first casualties. Shortly after arriving in Europe in the fall of 1944, the 761st was chosen by Patton to be part of his Saar Campaign in the Allied drive to the Siegfried Line. On November 8, 1944, Rivers and the others in the 761st's Able Company were launched with the 104th Infantry Regiment in an attack on German positions near Vic-sur-Seille in northeastern France. As they approached the town via a narrow road, a roadblock improvised by the Germans using a felled tree and several mines stopped the progress of the tanks and infantry. The Germans soon trained their mortar and rifle fire on infantrymen stranded in the roadside ditches, and the situation threatened to produce heavy casualties very quickly. Rivers, positioned in the lead tank, realized that following protocol would fail to alleviate the situation. Instead he took action that resulted in the battalion's first Silver Star. His heroic efforts are recounted below in the official medal citation:

During the daylight attack ... Staff Sergeant Rivers, a tank platoon sergeant, was in the lead tank when a road block was encountered which held up the advance. With utter disregard for his personal safety, Staff Sergeant Rivers courageously dismounted from his tank in the face of directed enemy small arms fire, attached a cable to the road block and moved it off the road, thus permitting the combat team to proceed. His prompt action thus prevented a serious delay in the offensive action and was instrumental in the successful assault and capture of the town. His brilliant display of initiative, courage and devotion to duty reflect the highest credit upon Staff Sergeant Rivers and the armed forces of the United States.

Unfortunately, the medal would have to be awarded posthumously. A little more than a week later Rivers would again distinguish himself leading the platoon, but this time he himself would not be so fortunate. On November 16 Able Company, with Rivers in the lead tank, would lead another assault. This time the target was German positions in Guebling. On the way into the town, Rivers' tank hit a mine, disabling it and leaving Rivers with a significant injury. Shrapnel had cut his leg from knee to thigh and as deep as the bone. His commanding officer, Captain David J. Williams, later remembered what happened when he and the rest of the company came to aid Rivers:

With the morphine needle in my right hand about a half inch from Sergeant Rivers' leg, I could have told my sergeant to hold him down. I said, “Ruben, you're going back. You've got a million-dollar wound. You're going back to Tecumseh. You're getting out of this. You got a Silver Star and a Purple Heart.” He says, “Captain, you're going to need me.” I said, “I'm giving you a direct order! You're going back!” I said, Medics, get the stretcher.” He pushed the needle away and got up. He said, “This is one order, the only order I'll ever disobey.”

Allowing the medics to only clean and dress the wound, Rivers took command of another tank and, as the Germans had begun to mark the area for heavy artillery fire, moved to take cover with the rest of Able Company. It would not be until the morning of November 19 that the 761st would again push forward, but by now Rivers condition had seriously deteriorated. A dangerous infection had developed, threatening the loss of life and limb, and the wound was visibly causing a great deal of pain. Rivers had been urged to evacuate the night before, but he had again refused to leave the field. As usual his tank led the way, but while advancing toward German positions near the town of Bougaltroff the Panthers came under extraordinarily heavy fire. Williams ordered the remaining tanks to pull back, but Rivers had located the German anti-tank unit and, with one other tank, moved to fire on the area and cover the retreat. In the process, Rivers was fully exposed, and the Germans quickly trained their fire on his tank, landing two direct hits with high-explosive shells. Rivers was killed instantly.

Rivers' final acts, which demonstrated a profound loyalty to his fellow soldiers and dedication to the war effort, earned him the military's highest award, the Medal of Honor. However, although Captain Williams recommended Rivers for the award on November 20, 1944, it would not come until more than fifty years later. Rivers' story is indicative of the lack of recognition afforded to African-American soldiers who served during World War II. Of the 433 Medals of Honor awarded to World War II servicemen, none went to an African-American, although over a million served in the armed forces. On January 13, 1997 some of these omissions were rectified when President Bill Clinton presented the Medal of Honor to the families of six African-American servicemen and one living veteran. Grace Woodfork, one of Rivers' sisters, received her brother's medal in his stead.

Among his other honors, Staff Sergeant Rivers Court in El Paso, Texas is named after Rivers.

Medal of Honor 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.

Jackie Robinson

Jack Roosevelt Robinson (January 31, 1919 – October 24, 1972) was an American professional baseball second baseman who became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when the Brooklyn Dodgers started him at first base on April 15, 1947. When the Dodgers signed Robinson, they heralded the end of racial segregation in professional baseball that had relegated black players to the Negro leagues since the 1880s. Robinson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.

In 1942, Robinson was drafted and assigned to a segregated Army cavalry unit in Fort Riley, Kansas. Having the requisite qualifications, Robinson and several other black soldiers applied for admission to an Officer Candidate School (OCS) then located at Fort Riley. Although the Army's initial July 1941 guidelines for OCS had been drafted as race neutral, few black applicants were admitted into OCS until after subsequent directives by Army leadership. As a result, the applications of Robinson and his colleagues were delayed for several months. After protests by heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis (then stationed at Fort Riley) and the help of Truman Gibson (then an assistant civilian aide to the Secretary of War), the men were accepted into OCS. The experience led to a personal friendship between Robinson and Louis. Upon finishing OCS, Robinson was commissioned as a second lieutenant in January 1943. Shortly afterward, Robinson and Isum were formally engaged.

After receiving his commission, Robinson was reassigned to Fort Hood, Texas, where he joined the 761st "Black Panthers" Tank Battalion. While at Fort Hood, Robinson often used his weekend leave to visit the Rev. Karl Downs, President of Sam Huston College (now Huston-Tillotson University) in nearby Austin, Texas; Downs had been Robinson's pastor at Scott United Methodist Church while Robinson attended PJC.

An event on July 6, 1944 derailed Robinson's military career. While awaiting results of hospital tests on the ankle he had injured in junior college, Robinson boarded an Army bus with a fellow officer's wife; although the Army had commissioned its own unsegregated bus line, the bus driver ordered Robinson to move to the back of the bus. Robinson refused. The driver backed down, but after reaching the end of the line, summoned the military police, who took Robinson into custody. When Robinson later confronted the investigating duty officer about racist questioning by the officer and his assistant, the officer recommended Robinson be court-martialed. After Robinson's commander in the 761st, Paul L. Bates, refused to authorize the legal action, Robinson was summarily transferred to the 758th Battalion—where the commander quickly consented to charge Robinson with multiple offenses, including, among other charges, public drunkenness, even though Robinson did not drink.

By the time of the court-martial in August 1944, the charges against Robinson had been reduced to two counts of insubordination during questioning. Robinson was acquitted by an all-white panel of nine officers. The experiences Robinson was subjected to during the court proceedings would be remembered when he later joined MLB and was subjected to racist attacks. Although his former unit, the 761st Tank Battalion, became the first black tank unit to see combat in World War II, Robinson's court-martial proceedings prohibited him from being deployed overseas; thus, he never saw combat action.

After his acquittal, he was transferred to Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky, where he served as a coach for army athletics until receiving an honorable discharge in November 1944. While there, Robinson met a former player for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro American League, who encouraged Robinson to write the Monarchs and ask for a tryout. Robinson took the former player's advice and wrote to Monarchs' co-owner Thomas Baird.

784th Tank Battalion

The 784th Tank Battalion, was a United States Army segregated combat tank battalion during World War II.

It was originally attached to the 5th US Tank Group that was based in Camp Claiborne, Louisiana during World War II. The 5th Tank Group also included the 758th Tank Battalion that saw action in Italy under the 92nd Division, and the most famous, the 761st Tank Battalion which saw action in Northern Europe and saw extensive action during the Battle of the Bulge. These three units were composed of African American personnel with African American junior officers and white senior officers.

The 784th went into action late December 1944. Landing in France Christmas Day 1944, the battalion consisted of six companies: A (Able), B (Baker), C (Charlie), D (Dog), Headquarters and Service Company. A, B and C Companies had M4 and M4A3 Medium Tanks while D company had M5A1 Stuart Light Tanks. Headquarters Company had a 105 mm assault platoon, a reconnaissance platoon and 81 mm mortar platoon.

On 31 December 1944 the 784th began official combat operations with the 104th Infantry Division. They participated in actions along the Roer River. On 3 February 1945, the 784th was released from duty with the 104th Division to the 35th Infantry Division. 8 February 1945 the 784th joined the 35th Division in a major offensive. On 26 February 1945, Able Company of the 784th assisted elements of the 134th Infantry Regiment from the 35th Infantry Division in capturing the town of Hilfarth across the Roer River. The next day they captured the town of Wassenberg. Baker Company along with the 137th Regiment(35th Div) took Golkrath, a village at Erkelenz.

Equipped with M5A1 light ranks, Company D, 761st Tank Battalion, was also known as the “Mosquito Fleet.” Camp Claiborne, Louisiana.

 

Soldiers from a Headquarters Company of the 761st Tank Battalion display their unit flag.

Stars and Stripes front page, November 27, 1944. Floyd Dade writes about this picture: "The picture of me on the tank in stars and Stripes is an action picture. We prevented a counterattack. We had a tank battle there, the knocked out tank was one of the 4th Armored Division." The Stars and Stripes incorrectly credited the 4th Armored Division when it was actually the 761st Tank Battalion. Guebling, France November 1944. The 761st Tank Battalion was attached to the Third Army "supporting" the 26th Infantry Division and General Patton's 4th Armored Division, making the 761st a part of the 4th Armored Division.

758th Tank Battalion.

761st Tank Battalion.

761st Tank Battalion.

An M5A1 Light Tank of the 5th Tank Group at Fort Hood, Texas, in October 1943. This tank carries the crest of the 5th Tank Group, which was responsible for training the segregated Negro tank battalions. This use of regimental crests was occasionally seen Stateside, but was forbidden in the war zone.

Black tankers with M3 light tank during training at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana, 1942.

Gunner Cpl. Carlton Chapman poses in his M4 Sherman tank near Nancy, France, Nov. 5, 1944.

This soldier is manning a cupola-mounted .50-caliber M2 Browning machine gun. Sergeant Sam Turley used his tank’s machine gun to cover his men, until he was killed by an 88mm shell.

Richard W. English, 761st Tank Battalion.

Ruben Rivers.

Ruben Rivers.

Staff Sergeant Ruben Rivers painting by Jody Harmon.

Burial site of Staff Sgt. Ruben Rivers in the Lorraine American Cemetery in St. Avold, France.

Jackie Robinson in his military uniform, during a visit to his Pasadena family home, c. 1943.

In September 1944, company commanders of the 761st Tank Battalion gather around tables for lunch. The vast majority of officers who served in black units during the war were white.

Soldiers from Dog Company of the 761st Tank Battalion check equipment before leaving England for combat in France in the fall of 1944.

Tank Commander Harvey Woodard of the 761st Tank Battalion assesses terrain near Nancy, France, in November 1944.

Able Company, 761st Tank Battalion crossing the Seille River in France, Nov. 9, 1944.

761st Field Officers (from left to right) Capt. Ivan Harrison, Headquarters Company commanding officer; Capt. Irvin McHenry, Charlie Company commanding officer; and 2nd Lt. James Lightfoot, the 81mm mortar platoon leader.

Mute testimony to the bitter fighting that took place near Guebling, France, the battered hulks of four German tanks and two American tanks lie derelict on the field.

M4 medium tanks of the 761st Tank Battalion during or after the Battle of the Bulge.

Lt. Gen. George Patton awards the Silver Star to Pvt. Ernest A. Jenkins of the 761st Tank Battalion.

Following the closing of the Colmar Pocket, two smiling French soldiers fill the hands of American troops with candy at Roufflach, France, on February 5, 1945.

M4 medium tank of the 761st Tank Battalion supporting the 103rd Infantry Division, Nieffern, France, 1945.

Crews of U.S. M5 Stuart light tanks from Company D, 761st Tank Battalion, stand by awaiting call to clean out scattered Nazi machine gun nests in Coburg, Germany. April 25, 1945.

“Cool Stud” M4 medium tank of C Company, 761st Battalion, April/May 1945.

The document above shows the mix of tanks fielded by the 761st Tank Battalion's medium tank companies in early February 1945. Many of the tanks in the battalion were 76mm versions of the M4A1 and M4A3 tanks. The M4A1E6 is just a M4A1 (76mm) Sherman—the nomenclature was changed during the war. Likewise, the M4A3E6 is the M4A3 (76mm) Sherman.  The unit also had a couple of 75mm armed M4A1 tanks. At this point the Battalion unusually received several M4A4 tanks as replacements.

Published roughly a month later, the document above shows how rapidly the Battalion's inventory could change, and it includes details about the Battalion HQ and Company D inventories as well. The M4A4 tanks are gone at this point, and some M4A3 75mm tanks are now spread across the platoons. Each company is also equipped with a couple of M4A3E8 76mm "Easy Eight" Shermans and one or two M4A3E2 "Jumbo" tanks, though it appears that all of the Jumbo's fielded by the 761st were of the 75mm variety - at least based on available data.