Georgia native Eugene Bullard, was the first African American pilot to see combat and was known as the “Black Swallow of Death” He fought for France in both WW1 and WW2, and was awarded Frances’s Croix de guerre in both wars.
I worked with a man who was in that tank Division. I found this out when President Carter presented the Honor to this group. I am White and when he explained everything that group had done during the War I was humbled and ashamed that they hadn't been recognized until then. He told me how his tanks were the 1st to cross the Rhine River ahead of Pattons 3rd Armour Division. His last name was Cooks I can't remember his 1st name as I always called him Mr Cooks. He was a very good man a great worker and I respected him very much. My Father was a Marine in the Pacific, 1st Marine Division and he also worked at the paper mill. When I started working there in 1971 at the age of 19 they allowed very few Black people in lines of progression where they could move up and make more money, but that started to change in the next few years. I am very interested in what yall are doing and I enjoyed what I saw but I had a first hand eye witness account from a Hero who was there. May they rest in Peace.
Thank you for your post. It really makes me sad to know the sacrifices that these brave black tankers did was swept under the rug… They didn’t do average they did exceptional service to our country for 183 days! Front line without a break like the other tank battalions required after 10-15 days of fighting. Thank you for recognizing their importance in history!
My father was a member of this company under Patton, before he was transferred to this company he was in the Red Ball Express,his stories were amazing growing up . He told us about how when he came home that he was still called racial slurs and still had to sit behind the German prisoners that they helped capture.
Well your father had to deal with the stupidity & ignorance of political Americans , but have no doubt that His Services is thanked by me &!is honored by All Americans who served h h is country above & beyond the call of duty when a country didn’t want to serve him being no doubt his courageous bravery help win WWII!!!!
There are so many of these stories that need to be told, please keep telling them so that all future generations can know the complete history of America.
I heard about this story many years ago when the History Channel was THE HISTORY CHANNEL. The 761st’s Commander Paul L. Bates believed in his men and even his wife at the time who was still alive recalled her husbands words how Paul saw this all black tank unit as the best of the best. He respected them a lot and it stuck out to the men. So much so when Paul L Bates passed away in 1995, multiple 761st Veterans attended his funeral at Arlington National Cemetery.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, in 2005, published an excellent nonfiction book about the 761st called Brothers in Arms. Cannot recommend it enough. This would be an excellent HBO tv series in similar fashion to Band of Brothers.
Not completely unknown. My father was in the 71st Division. He told the story of being pinned down by some 88s up on a hill, and the Black Panthers came up and with some counter battery fire pushed the 88s off the hill. My father didn’t talk much about the war, I never knew about Gunkirshen until after he passed. But that was a story he’d tell.
This is not obscure history to military history buffs. I read the book and have seen the PBS documentary. Also covered in a number of magazine articles I've read. Deserves a movie.
Not only would a movie about Black tank battalions show our contributions in winning wars, that movie would be a moneymaker. THE BRAVERY of black soldiers needs to be shown!
The time has come Mr Freeman, indeed it has. As a white American I'm embarrassed that our government didn't give these brave gentlemen the medal they'd earned while alive. Hopefully you can make their story more well known & appreciated by all Americans
thank you gentlemen on the 761st for your bravery and service -- this story brought tears to my eyes. Mr. Freeman, kudos for bringing light onto an important piece of history that should never be forgotten.
That's why the U.S. offers all citizens 12 years of taxpayer-funded schooling. We even offer it to illegal aliens. Plus we have programs like Head Start and free school lunches on top of that.
To fight for a country that didn’t see you as equal but still giving it your all to defend it is truly honorable I have nothing but respect for all of our service members but for what these men did is truly incredible I salute you all. I hope god had blessed you after the horrors you’ve seen
Not to take away from the story here but another little-known WWII outfit were the soldiers of the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion. I was honored and humbled to visit the memorial to the Wereth Eleven in Belgium while I was stationed in Germany. A massacre very few have heard about.
It does not detract from 761st to mention other units that have been overlooked or not given their spotlight. The 442nd Regimental Combat Team was one the most decorated units serving in WWII. The Japanese Americans in that unit had come from internment camps to serve, and still rarely get noticed or given a spotlight for what they accomplished.
Why is it when anyone tries to bring up American Black Descendent bravery and contribution in wars, immediately people try to co-opt and undermine their historic impact? This piece was ONLY about these black men and only them. You will NEVER see black people EVER trying to derail or co-opt other races contributions in war!
This is exactly why ALL history must be taught! Parents, if your school system refuses to recognize history such as this, take your children to the library, find these stories, educate them. Don't let ignorance be their guide.
To echo what others have said, I heard about the 761st in a COD game in 2004. They were also featured in Matthew F. Delmont's Half American: The Epic Story of African Americans Fighting World War II at Home, (2022), a powerful book by a great historian. They are well known by historians and those who pass that story down, but not enough of the public, I agree. The doc sounds great---a wonderful step! However--why not actually do a Band of Brothers--for the 761st and other black units? There's such a rich history to draw on that might appeal a bit more widely as a mini-series. If Tom Hanks gets a Masters Of The Air, to tell the air war for some reason.... why not the 761st as a narrative story as well? It's so important to learn about what they faced in Europe and at home with the Double-V campaign. This is so cool, but a show needs to be greenlighted someday. John Ford, who shot films on D-Day, said the black truck driver he saw who drove supplies across the beach dodging shells and came back, again and again, was braver than he was. These guys not only had to face down the racism of the Nazis but the racism of officers who didn't think they could fight or ignored the vital support work they did. They deserved to be known and honored and it never forgotten men like Medgar Evers came home ready to fight for freedom at home too.
>"If Tom Hanks gets a Masters Of The Air, to tell the air war for some reason...." Do you think that the stories of Airmen are not worth telling or something?
Stop playing pseudo intellectual racist mind games. The history of black American combat veterans has been knowingly and willingly and actively suppressed since before America was America. GET OVER YOURSELF!
Gen. Patton & GN. Ben O. Mayes ( only African American) in armed forces. Came to N. Africa bring 91st & 92nd Infantry ( formerly 9th & 10th Cavalry Buffalo Soldiers. Arrived in Italy , RIP Master Sergeant Lee Beasley 2 Bronze Stars. 1941 to 1944 . Thank you very much
Yeah Italy and our ole supremist government covered up a lot of atrocities during war. They covered up Emmitt Till's father being tried and executed for raping Italian girls when under deep investigation you'll find his father and another black soldier were patsy's for white soldier deviants. Till's father was however guilty for theft of food related supplies (wrong place, wrong time!). Isn't it funny how the military back then tried and executed soldiers quickly with no due process. They covered up a lot of crimes and most will never know!
I watched the recently released movie with the name 'Come Out Fighting' only last week. Unfortunately, it was done on the cheap by a clueless writer/ producer/ director which ruined the whole premise! However, it still told me a story that I couldn't believe I was hearing about for the first time. The bravery of these men were extraordinary ❤
You telling me that the library of congress can't make a digital copy or like the guy said ask Morgan Freeman if he's willing to record the book as an audiobook, you know he would. This should have been done years ago, I would like to read it and would definitely get it if it was available as a audiobook.
This deserves the Movie. Very few people know about historical events like this one. They beat Patton’s 3rd Army to cross the Rhine. Hahaha. Take that! This needs to be told to the masses.
Just FYI, they were actually a part of Patton’s Third Army. Really, Patton gave them their chance to serve. None of the other white bigoted commanders in that sector would do so, which is a big part of why their exemplary combat record was so vigorously and actively suppressed for so long.
This is likely the inspiration for the name of the Black Panther Party for Self Defense, certainly the fighting spirit and the push for excellence resonates between them.
I wish I had known about this when I was in school! We need ALL the stories, not censured or "left out" or whatever excuse is given. History when truthfully recognized not only enlightens but empowers each of us.
@@yvonneplant9434Exactly!!! That's the point! Segregated in the military, discriminated against by their government when they came home. That's an outrageous betrayal on those brave fighters which kept them and their families away from social advancement for the following decades.
Correct. The 761st has multiple documentaries at this point. I get that people want to hear the stories of black veterans over white veterans, which is totally their prerogative, but the 761st's participation in the US military needs to be put into perspective as well.
I wasn't taught ANY black history in high school, 1960s. I once asked our American history teacher why he wasn't including black history, and he waid, well, if he had any black students he would. But he don't. I thought that was a ridiculous reason, and still do. I hope he thought about it. BTW, President Truman integrated the military. A lot of people thought it was the end of the world!
Thank You for confirming how supremacy in education didn't want white students to learn about American Black Descendent contributions. Even black inventors were put on the back burner and had my ancestors not contributed I'm sure America would still be scratching in the dark. It's sad!
that is why he is a freeman and died a series about god and the devine. and george washington was a freemason with the masonic apron a badge of honor and power to do good things. yes there a 33 rites to become a free mason. you have to be a good fellow or part of a lady auxillary. and the key is to believe in one god or divine being. reguardless of your relious faith as lon as you do good and create goodwill for all humans just like saint Nicolas and santa clause. and in days of cold a mp of coal is a heat source. so not so good folks can warm up too.
Should end with a blue hair German non-binary Lesbian mentally handicapped person coming in a Machine Gun wheelchair and saving the tankers. She then goes to the nearest village and tells them they're bad people and "Racism is ove..for now" Then the movie ends, and it gets 10/10 on all critics
Omg I am so happy I stumbled across this. My father was in General Pattons battalion and helped to free Buchenwald. The second largest prison death camp the Germans had. For his bravery, my dad earned a Bronze Star and Purple Heart. I can't wait to see the documentary. I hope I see my dad.❤️
I was in the army reserves in the early eighties. My unit was the 84th Division “ Black Hawk “ ! The division switched over to armor, being a tanker is hard. I learned a lot ! We trained on the M60A1 ! The M60 A1 was the tank, before the Abram. I found out everything on the tank hurt . Good training !
In 1984 the book "Hit Hard" was published, it was my introduction to the remarkable story of the 761st Battalion AKA The Black Panthers, it's about time the story of these brave men is brought to a wider audience.
It is sad that we are only awarded the medal of honor after we die, and it seems like a million years have passed. The worst is that it still goes on today. My cousin father jumped on a grenade, saving many lives during the Korean War. I always admired that man. But he never got a medal of honor. Something his white counterpart would have gotten without question.
There was mention of a really good black artillery battalion in one of Don Burgett’s (third of four) books on his experiences in WWII. These guys were sure as hell in the front lines. Not to mention the smaller but nearly unknown massacre of black troops by the Germans near Malmedy in the Battle of the Bulge. 11 black soldiers of the 333rd artillery were murdered in Wereth Belgium.
Exactly, why don't we know about ALL AMERICAN HISTORY!? They never teach this in schools and that's not acceptable. I know we never learned this in school. Being white makes it almost impossible for us to know all about what these black men did for this country, because it's been kept from us. I hope that this will help us all learn. Thank you Morgan Freeman and the others that are working to help us all learn. (from Sandi)
Thank you & I completely agree, this is _American_ history... we're all equals, especially in the case of war. Sidney Poitier said in an interview years ago before he passed that he didn't like being called an African American. He said his great-grandfather helped build this country as well as his grandfather & father. So he didn't consider himself as African bcuz none of his relatives had every lived there... he said he was an American, period. I'm butchering Mr Poitier's eloquent words but you get the gist
@@nolongerblocked6210 I agree on Sidney and he was absolutely right. I call us American Black Descendents as we are American and NOT African. The supremists changed that when my ancestors were brought here as slaves.
@nonegone7170 How exactly is this going in depth? History talked about Patton's racist arse, so why not the black tank battalion that succeeded where they failed. I know why and it's because back then the war effort was supposed to be only with white participation and victories and even the video footage was set up for that. They wanted to keep black brave soldiers in the background like they were kitchen help, latrine duty or just manual labor. History has shown the evil and wicked deeds of white men...Why would it change?
@nonegone7170 but it would make a magnificent collection to black history month. However it would be ideal that every year, history teachers teach the subjects with different stories such as this one.
A great story that’s finally getting told to the American people , this is why all of American history should be told not just the white side, we need to learn it all.!!!
George Orwell wrote "Who controls the past, controls the future. Who controls the present, controls the past." The struggle against book bans, censorship and misguided MAGA public policies indicates that the upcoming elections and candidates will be more important than ever. A more complete telling of and attention to American History is more crucial than ever.
Were there any black American soldiers in German prison camps? I ask because the narrator states that African Americans were not ever positioned on the front lines in WW2. // Deepest gratitude to Mister Freeman for creating the History Channel documentary. The story needs to be more widely known.
@@jamalwilburn228 Makes me wonder if they were treated worse for being from a race that the Nazis considered well below them. They hated Jesse Owens at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
I read Kareems book. I knew about the Black Panthers. Patton didn't want blacks in "his Army." I would show how well they fought in the Ardennes.They trained for a long time watching others get the call.
It's about time and love the idea of Black Band of Brothers. Loved the movie about the young black pilots (red tails?) that protected the (white) fighter pilots from the germans flyers.
there was a book "Hit Hard" (published by Bantam Books) which i read before by Capt. David J Williams, a white officer who commanded a platoon of the 761st
I read a non-fiction paperback on the 761st years ago. 1980s I believe. After googling, I am now unsure just what book I read. Maybe the 'Come Out Fighting' book that came out in 1945? 🤷♂️
Incredibly interesting. It came to its existence in April 1942 during the racism retaliations of the Jim Crow South. First Lt. Jack Roosevelt was a baseball player. He failed his chance to see combat when he is not able to head back to a military bus that has been segregated during an incident in Fort Hood, TX back in 1944.
Georgia native Eugene Bullard, was the first African American pilot to see combat and was known as the “Black Swallow of Death” He fought for France in both WW1 and WW2, and was awarded Frances’s Croix de guerre in both wars.
...but when he tried to gain entry into the US air arm he was denied. That's our country.
@@caribman10and racism will be the death of it. They want Black folks to have no Glory smh.
I worked with a man who was in that tank Division. I found this out when President Carter presented the Honor to this group. I am White and when he explained everything that group had done during the War I was humbled and ashamed that they hadn't been recognized until then. He told me how his tanks were the 1st to cross the Rhine River ahead of Pattons 3rd Armour Division. His last name was Cooks I can't remember his 1st name as I always called him Mr Cooks. He was a very good man a great worker and I respected him very much. My Father was a Marine in the Pacific, 1st Marine Division and he also worked at the paper mill. When I started working there in 1971 at the age of 19 they allowed very few Black people in lines of progression where they could move up and make more money, but that started to change in the next few years. I am very interested in what yall are doing and I enjoyed what I saw but I had a first hand eye witness account from a Hero who was there. May they rest in Peace.
Your words were heartfelt and very kind. Thank you. 😊
@tomaram6938 thanks for your kind words.
Thanks for sharing
Thank you.
Thank you for your post. It really makes me sad to know the sacrifices that these brave black tankers did was swept under the rug… They didn’t do average they did exceptional service to our country for 183 days! Front line without a break like the other tank battalions required after 10-15 days of fighting.
Thank you for recognizing their importance in history!
2:41 "Why don't we know ALL of American history?" That's an amazing statement that needs to be answered.
My father was a member of this company under Patton, before he was transferred to this company he was in the Red Ball Express,his stories were amazing growing up . He told us about how when he came home that he was still called racial slurs and still had to sit behind the German prisoners that they helped capture.
Disgusting.
God Bless you and your wonderful father!
Best!
Peace!
Well your father had to deal with the stupidity & ignorance of political Americans , but have no doubt that His Services is thanked by me &!is honored by All Americans who served h h is country above & beyond the call of duty when a country didn’t want to serve him being no doubt his courageous bravery help win WWII!!!!
There are so many of these stories that need to be told, please keep telling them so that all future generations can know the complete history of America.
YES!
I heard about this story many years ago when the History Channel was THE HISTORY CHANNEL. The 761st’s Commander Paul L. Bates believed in his men and even his wife at the time who was still alive recalled her husbands words how Paul saw this all black tank unit as the best of the best. He respected them a lot and it stuck out to the men. So much so when Paul L Bates passed away in 1995, multiple 761st Veterans attended his funeral at Arlington National Cemetery.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, in 2005, published an excellent nonfiction book about the 761st called Brothers in Arms. Cannot recommend it enough. This would be an excellent HBO tv series in similar fashion to Band of Brothers.
That book was inspired by a friend of Kareem's father who served in the 761st.
Yes!
All Americans who fought bravely for their country should be remembered with honor.
And not the kast to be honored when metals are doled out.
They only need black heroes, thanks
These Heroes Need to Never Be Forgotten!!!❤
Thanks to all who served. I was a tanker during the 1980's. I served from October 1983 to October 1986. GOD bless us all.
These men are incredible. They were never obscure, ever. Learned about these guys while watching the Cosby Show.
Thank you for shining a light on the 761st. Brave Americans. 🇺🇸
It's ABOUT TIME that these dudes are getting their props! These guys were truly badass.
Not completely unknown. My father was in the 71st Division. He told the story of being pinned down by some 88s up on a hill, and the Black Panthers came up and with some counter battery fire pushed the 88s off the hill. My father didn’t talk much about the war, I never knew about Gunkirshen until after he passed. But that was a story he’d tell.
Reach out to Mr. Freeman.
Thank you for sharing!
This is not obscure history to military history buffs. I read the book and have seen the PBS documentary. Also covered in a number of magazine articles I've read. Deserves a movie.
Not only would a movie about Black tank battalions show our contributions in winning wars, that movie would be a moneymaker. THE BRAVERY of black soldiers needs to be shown!
@@keithevans7911
Yes!
The time has come Mr Freeman, indeed it has. As a white American I'm embarrassed that our government didn't give these brave gentlemen the medal they'd earned while alive. Hopefully you can make their story more well known & appreciated by all Americans
Wow, just wow.
thank you gentlemen on the 761st for your bravery and service -- this story brought tears to my eyes. Mr. Freeman, kudos for bringing light onto an important piece of history that should never be forgotten.
The US would be a much richer and happier country for all if it treated all of its citizens equally and invested fruitfully in each person.
That's why the U.S. offers all citizens 12 years of taxpayer-funded schooling. We even offer it to illegal aliens. Plus we have programs like Head Start and free school lunches on top of that.
YES!
6:00 Enemy soldier described his Black opponents like this: BRAVERY I NEVER FORESEEN
Beautifully done! Wow!! Thank you for highlighting this.
To fight for a country that didn’t see you as equal but still giving it your all to defend it is truly honorable I have nothing but respect for all of our service members but for what these men did is truly incredible I salute you all. I hope god had blessed you after the horrors you’ve seen
Not to take away from the story here but another little-known WWII outfit were the soldiers of the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion. I was honored and humbled to visit the memorial to the Wereth Eleven in Belgium while I was stationed in Germany. A massacre very few have heard about.
If they're not black, they don't care.
It does not detract from 761st to mention other units that have been overlooked or not given their spotlight. The 442nd Regimental Combat Team was one the most decorated units serving in WWII. The Japanese Americans in that unit had come from internment camps to serve, and still rarely get noticed or given a spotlight for what they accomplished.
There is a book about them. There is also a picture of their memorial in there. They got more recognition in Belgium, than in the US.
Why is it when anyone tries to bring up American Black Descendent bravery and contribution in wars, immediately people try to co-opt and undermine their historic impact? This piece was ONLY about these black men and only them. You will NEVER see black people EVER trying to derail or co-opt other races contributions in war!
@@keithevans7911 Because of the appalling violence and criminality of young and middle aged African Americans.
This is exactly why ALL history must be taught! Parents, if your school system refuses to recognize history such as this, take your children to the library, find these stories, educate them. Don't let ignorance be their guide.
To echo what others have said, I heard about the 761st in a COD game in 2004. They were also featured in Matthew F. Delmont's Half American: The Epic Story of African Americans Fighting World War II at Home, (2022), a powerful book by a great historian. They are well known by historians and those who pass that story down, but not enough of the public, I agree. The doc sounds great---a wonderful step! However--why not actually do a Band of Brothers--for the 761st and other black units? There's such a rich history to draw on that might appeal a bit more widely as a mini-series. If Tom Hanks gets a Masters Of The Air, to tell the air war for some reason.... why not the 761st as a narrative story as well? It's so important to learn about what they faced in Europe and at home with the Double-V campaign. This is so cool, but a show needs to be greenlighted someday. John Ford, who shot films on D-Day, said the black truck driver he saw who drove supplies across the beach dodging shells and came back, again and again, was braver than he was.
These guys not only had to face down the racism of the Nazis but the racism of officers who didn't think they could fight or ignored the vital support work they did. They deserved to be known and honored and it never forgotten men like Medgar Evers came home ready to fight for freedom at home too.
Agree.
Well said thank you!
COD: Finest Hour. Loved that level.
Finest Hour was the first Call of Duty to put actual history about stuff like this.
>"If Tom Hanks gets a Masters Of The Air, to tell the air war for some reason...."
Do you think that the stories of Airmen are not worth telling or something?
We as Americans owe all our service members the gratitude and respect they EARNED!!!!!
Stop playing pseudo intellectual racist mind games.
The history of black American combat veterans has been knowingly and willingly and actively suppressed since before America was America.
GET OVER YOURSELF!
True heros never to be forgotten. I have served in a tank battalion 1980 4/69. I read a book in the late 80s about the 761st.
I LOVE Morgan Freeman he's A true Legend And one of the greatest actors of all time We love you Mr. Freeman.
Such important journalism! Thank you CBS Sunday Morning, for helping us learn ALL of American history, not just what some want us to learn.
It's a safe bet you cbs never heard of this battalion. I have since I was 9 in 1974! I have several books on them and I was a real tanker for 23 yrs!
Gen. Patton & GN. Ben O. Mayes ( only African American) in armed forces. Came to N. Africa bring 91st & 92nd Infantry ( formerly 9th & 10th Cavalry Buffalo Soldiers. Arrived in Italy , RIP Master Sergeant Lee Beasley 2 Bronze Stars. 1941 to 1944 . Thank you very much
Yeah Italy and our ole supremist government covered up a lot of atrocities during war. They covered up Emmitt Till's father being tried and executed for raping Italian girls when under deep investigation you'll find his father and another black soldier were patsy's for white soldier deviants. Till's father was however guilty for theft of food related supplies (wrong place, wrong time!). Isn't it funny how the military back then tried and executed soldiers quickly with no due process. They covered up a lot of crimes and most will never know!
5:00 761st Saw their first battle on 11/7/1944 in a small French village held by the Germany
I watched the recently released movie with the name 'Come Out Fighting' only last week. Unfortunately, it was done on the cheap by a clueless writer/ producer/ director which ruined the whole premise! However, it still told me a story that I couldn't believe I was hearing about for the first time. The bravery of these men were extraordinary ❤
You are right I was wondering if I was the only one I turned it off after 10 min
Thanks for sharing.
I just caught the last part of this on TV. Thank you very much for keeping history alive and helping to get ALL of it told.
You telling me that the library of congress can't make a digital copy or like the guy said ask Morgan Freeman if he's willing to record the book as an audiobook, you know he would. This should have been done years ago, I would like to read it and would definitely get it if it was available as a audiobook.
This deserves the Movie. Very few people know about historical events like this one. They beat Patton’s 3rd Army to cross the Rhine. Hahaha. Take that!
This needs to be told to the masses.
Just FYI, they were actually a part of Patton’s Third Army.
Really, Patton gave them their chance to serve.
None of the other white bigoted commanders in that sector would do so, which is a big part of why their exemplary combat record was so vigorously and actively suppressed for so long.
That book should be reprinted and put in every library in the United States
This is likely the inspiration for the name of the Black Panther Party for Self Defense, certainly the fighting spirit and the push for excellence resonates between them.
4:19 Morgan Freeman Reads from Come Out Fighten Epic Tale of 761st Tank BN, First to fight in World Ward II (Black Panther) by Tresvant Anderson
I wish I had known about this when I was in school! We need ALL the stories, not censured or "left out" or whatever excuse is given. History when truthfully recognized not only enlightens but empowers each of us.
The movie Battle of the Bulge omitted blacks in the Movie with Robert Shaw Charles Bronson and Henry Fonda
Would you really want black troops to be represented in that abysmal movie anyways?
They were at least equipped with the high velocity 76.2mm gun for the updated Sherman tank.
2:33 What struck you most about their story 761st BN
The Black Panthers are known and honored to students of history. Warriors to a man!Bless their memory! 👍😎
Amen...
Many thanks for your Service!
They shoulda made this movie instead of the fictional ‘Fury’
Thank for all of your service!
The 761st is one of the most famous tank battalions of WW2 and isn't obscure or forgotten.
Did any of them get GI Bill benefits?
@@yvonneplant9434Exactly!!! That's the point! Segregated in the military, discriminated against by their government when they came home. That's an outrageous betrayal on those brave fighters which kept them and their families away from social advancement for the following decades.
They are famous now, but their records were classified for 50 years when the war ended, so that public would not know what they did....
@@yvonneplant9434 Yes, they did. It's a revisionary myth that black GIs were denied benefits by the federal government after the war.
Correct. The 761st has multiple documentaries at this point. I get that people want to hear the stories of black veterans over white veterans, which is totally their prerogative, but the 761st's participation in the US military needs to be put into perspective as well.
I wasn't taught ANY black history in high school, 1960s. I once asked our American history teacher why he wasn't including black history, and he waid, well, if he had any black students he would. But he don't.
I thought that was a ridiculous reason, and still do. I hope he thought about it.
BTW, President Truman integrated the military. A lot of people thought it was the end of the world!
Thank You for confirming how supremacy in education didn't want white students to learn about American Black Descendent contributions. Even black inventors were put on the back burner and had my ancestors not contributed I'm sure America would still be scratching in the dark. It's sad!
They were never obscure to me I was fascinated by their story after playing their missions in Call of Duty Finest Hour.
That and The History Channel had a documentary about them!
2:50 A documentary narrated by Denzel Washington. Liberators fighting on two fronts in World War II, '1992
Book: Brothers of Arms by Addual Jabar
4:28 General George Patton sent for the 761st Tank Battion.
Bless Up, Mr Freeman❣️
3:12 when he says that, that’s something I definitely want to see in movie theaters
wow what a shame. thank you Mr. Morgan Freeman
that is why he is a freeman and died a series about god and the devine.
and george washington was a freemason with the masonic apron a badge of honor and power to do good things. yes there a 33 rites to become a free mason. you have to be a good fellow or part of a lady auxillary. and the key is to believe in one god or divine being. reguardless of your relious faith as lon as you do good and create goodwill for all humans just like saint Nicolas and santa clause. and in days of cold a mp of coal is a heat source. so not so good folks can warm up too.
😢 Thank you!!!!
2:55 Book: Brothers of Arms, Author Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Anthony Walton
No one since Spike Lee has done a film about black regiments. Good for Morgan to put this together.
Should end with a blue hair German non-binary Lesbian mentally handicapped person coming in a Machine Gun wheelchair and saving the tankers. She then goes to the nearest village and tells them they're bad people and "Racism is ove..for now" Then the movie ends, and it gets 10/10 on all critics
Omg I am so happy I stumbled across this. My father was in General Pattons battalion and helped to free Buchenwald. The second largest prison death camp the Germans had. For his bravery, my dad earned a Bronze Star and Purple Heart. I can't wait to see the documentary. I hope I see my dad.❤️
Mine also. He was at Anzio and in the PO valley in Italy. These men did mot receive benefits. Like the whites
I was in the army reserves in the early eighties. My unit was the 84th Division “ Black Hawk “ ! The division switched over to armor, being a tanker is hard. I learned a lot ! We trained on the M60A1 ! The M60 A1 was the tank, before the Abram. I found out everything on the tank hurt . Good training !
I hope to see this illuminating documentary soon.
Belgium loves the black panthers ❤❤❤❤😢❤❤❤❤❤
They never mentioned the fact that this was also the battalion that raided the Dacau concentration camp. I remember seeing it in a documentary once!
5:38 761st thrown into the Battle of the Bulge
Please read: Brothers in Arms: The Epic Story of the 761st Tank Battalion, WWII's Forgotten Heroes by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Great story. Keep it coming.
2:13 General Lloyd Austin
In 1984 the book "Hit Hard" was published, it was my introduction to the remarkable story of the 761st Battalion AKA The Black Panthers, it's about time the story of these brave men is brought to a wider audience.
MOST EXCELLENT...
God bless you all. You are the best of us. ❤
It is sad that we are only awarded the medal of honor after we die, and it seems like a million years have passed. The worst is that it still goes on today. My cousin father jumped on a grenade, saving many lives during the Korean War. I always admired that man. But he never got a medal of honor. Something his white counterpart would have gotten without question.
There was mention of a really good black artillery battalion in one of Don Burgett’s (third of four) books on his experiences in WWII. These guys were sure as hell in the front lines. Not to mention the smaller but nearly unknown massacre of black troops by the Germans near Malmedy in the Battle of the Bulge. 11 black soldiers of the 333rd artillery were murdered in Wereth Belgium.
Exactly, why don't we know about ALL AMERICAN HISTORY!? They never teach this in schools and that's not acceptable. I know we never learned this in school. Being white makes it almost impossible for us to know all about what these black men did for this country, because it's been kept from us. I hope that this will help us all learn. Thank you Morgan Freeman and the others that are working to help us all learn. (from Sandi)
Thank you & I completely agree, this is _American_ history... we're all equals, especially in the case of war. Sidney Poitier said in an interview years ago before he passed that he didn't like being called an African American. He said his great-grandfather helped build this country as well as his grandfather & father. So he didn't consider himself as African bcuz none of his relatives had every lived there... he said he was an American, period. I'm butchering Mr Poitier's eloquent words but you get the gist
@@nolongerblocked6210 I agree on Sidney and he was absolutely right. I call us American Black Descendents as we are American and NOT African. The supremists changed that when my ancestors were brought here as slaves.
@nonegone7170 How exactly is this going in depth? History talked about Patton's racist arse, so why not the black tank battalion that succeeded where they failed. I know why and it's because back then the war effort was supposed to be only with white participation and victories and even the video footage was set up for that. They wanted to keep black brave soldiers in the background like they were kitchen help, latrine duty or just manual labor. History has shown the evil and wicked deeds of white men...Why would it change?
@nonegone7170 but it would make a magnificent collection to black history month. However it would be ideal that every year, history teachers teach the subjects with different stories such as this one.
Thank you!
I watched this story on PBS they do terrific presentation if American history.
A great story that’s finally getting told to the American people , this is why all of American history should be told not just the white side, we need to learn it all.!!!
Can we get a reprint of the book?
The book was reprinted in 1979!
Great story.
Well done!
😢this story made me very sad and extremely proud at the same time. Wonder what else is buried on the Library of Congress
George Orwell wrote "Who controls the past, controls the future. Who controls the present, controls the past." The struggle against book bans, censorship and misguided MAGA public policies indicates that the upcoming elections and candidates will be more important than ever. A more complete telling of and attention to American History is more crucial than ever.
Were there any black American soldiers in German prison camps? I ask because the narrator states that African Americans were not ever positioned on the front lines in WW2. // Deepest gratitude to Mister Freeman for creating the History Channel documentary. The story needs to be more widely known.
They were in Mathausen.
A few Tuskgee Airmen were POWs
@@jamalwilburn228 Makes me wonder if they were treated worse for being from a race that the Nazis considered well below them. They hated Jesse Owens at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
Captured black American military members were either placed in German POW camps or were murdered by the SS like the Wereth Eleven.
You might be interested in 'The Wereth 11' story.
My grandfather served with the 452nd Anti-Aircraft Battalion US Army.
Damn, I hope he gets it done. Better get Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg involved.
black brothers and sisters salute to your hero’s and all of you. now spread this in the whole world.
How much fear or hatred do you have to have of a people to hide their history?
Maybe another film that should be shown in Florida schools!
Time has come
As an American Soldier, a white Soldier, I would be honored and humbled to hear and see this story!!!! Please do this.
0:56
I read Kareems book.
I knew about the Black Panthers.
Patton didn't want blacks in "his Army."
I would show how well they fought in the Ardennes.They trained for a long time watching others get the call.
Can’t wait
It's about time and love the idea of Black Band of Brothers. Loved the movie about the young black pilots (red tails?) that protected the (white) fighter pilots from the germans flyers.
The red tails were fighter pilots. They protected the heavy/medium bomber crews.
Watch this tankers that came before me in the Army. Looks to be a great story
there was a book "Hit Hard" (published by Bantam Books) which i read before by Capt. David J Williams, a white officer who commanded a platoon of
the 761st
I read a non-fiction paperback on the 761st years ago. 1980s I believe. After googling, I am now unsure just what book I read. Maybe the 'Come Out Fighting' book that came out in 1945? 🤷♂️
Never mind...watching the above video, only 2 'Come Out Fighting' books were printed, so it wasnt that. 🤔
Jackie Robinson was a lieutenant in this unit but got court martialed
Why don’t you tell the whole story
@jjj1951 Go read it yourself. You have thousands of years of information across the world, and I think a YT comment needs to share the story for you?
@@jjj1951 Baseball Legend Jackie Robinson Was Court-Martialed for Refusing to Move to the Back of a Bus
I wonder if HBO or PBS is curious, I would like to see this.
Lloyd Austin is all in on the Open Borders, he's got some nerve.
Incredibly interesting. It came to its existence in April 1942 during the racism retaliations of the Jim Crow South. First Lt. Jack Roosevelt was a baseball player. He failed his chance to see combat when he is not able to head back to a military bus that has been segregated during an incident in Fort Hood, TX back in 1944.
I hope Secretary Austin reactivates the 761st as an active brigade, possibly reflagging the 194th at Fort Moore.
Greatest Generation...Japanese American internees; African Americans didn't matter it was all for a common goal ...
You are supposed to remove your hat in historic Government buildings.