In honor of Black History Month, this M4A1 Sherman, on display at Planes of Fame, Chino, CA, is marked in tribute to the 761st Tank Battalion, the first African-American armored unit to enter combat during WWII. In gratitude to SSgt Floyd Dade, who dedicated the latter part of his life educating others on the history of African-American tankers, issues of segregation and remembrance of the Holocaust, this vehicle is named “Agnes II,” the name of Floyd’s own A Company Sherman.
During World War II, discrimination against African-Americans was well documented in industry and in the armed services. Under the threat of protest, President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 8802, reaffirming the "policy of full participation in the defense program by all persons, regardless of race, creed, color, or national origin." Regardless of this issuance, African-American servicemen were most often placed into labor battalions and used overseas as dock workers and support roles although they had been trained to fight in combat.
Three African-American tank battalions were activated, the 758th, 761st and 784th. The War Department ordered the activation of the 761st Tank Battalion on March 15, 1942. It wasn’t until the efforts of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, prominent African-American leaders and the black press that these men and other African-Americans could see combat. During that time, a significant amount of effort went into training, which made these men exceptionally viable combat units. Arriving at Omaha Beach on October 10, 1944, the 761st fought in six European countries and provided support for numerous infantry divisions, including the 17th Airborne Division during the Battle of the Bulge.
The average lifespan of a separate tank battalion on the front lines was only about 10 to 15 days; however, the 761st served 183 days of continuous front-line duty. The 761st fought through the Siegfried line, Germany and ultimately to the Enn River, where they were told to await advancing Russian soldiers near war’s end. These men earned nearly 300 Purple Hearts, 70 Bronze Stars, and 11 Silver Star medals and it wasn’t until January 24, 1978 that the Presidential Unit Citation was belatedly awarded to the 761st for their World War II service. No African-American soldier was awarded the Medal of Honor during World War II. It wasn’t until October of 1996 that Congress passed the necessary legislation to allow the President to award seven Medals of Honor since the statutory limit for presentation had expired. These Medals of Honor were presented, by President William Clinton in a ceremony on 13 January 1997. Of the six posthumous awards, one went to SSgt Ruben Rivers, Company A of the 761st.
Please visit the Internet or your local library/book store for detailed information on the 761st Tank Battalion and the service of African-Americans during World War II. A special thanks to the 761st Tank Battalion veterans, families and their website (
http://www.761st.com).
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