Known primarily for being the first African American armored unit to see combat in World War II and onetime outfit of future baseball star Jackie Robinson, the 761st Tank Battalion "Black Panthers" earned a coveted assignment to fight under General George S. Patton. Moving to the front in November 1944, trial by fire soon shook the unit to its core. Checked by a veteran German force, the 761st suffered heavy casualties in their first battle. Responding quickly, the tankers saw intense combat through November, and when Germany launched its last-ditch offensive through the Ardennes in December, the 761st helped check the German advance, cut resupply routes to the forces surrounding beleaguered Bastogne, and drive the enemy back. The unit was then chosen to break through the Siegfried Line, an action that was crucial to the final defeat of Germany.

In The Black Panthers: A Story of Race, War, and Courage ─ the 761st Tank Battalion in World War II, historian Gina M. DiNicolo tells the full and unvarnished history of this important American fighting force. Relying on extensive archival research, including documents that had not been consulted in previous accounts, and interviews with surviving soldiers and family members, the author describes the unit's training, deployment, combat and individuals, including Ruben Rivers, one of only seven African American men awarded the Medal of Honor for World War II heroism.

321 pages