Brothers in Arms: One Legendary Tank Regiment's Bloody War from D-Day to VE-Day

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These men fought for a country they loved despite the complexities of such a love—despite being hated, treated poorly, and viewed as less than human due to the color of their skin. Maybe if I was a boy I could read that sort of thing with more gusto and less zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Brothers in Arms: Real War. True Friends. Unlikely Heroes. Brothers in Arms: Real War. True Friends. Unlikely Heroes.

Despite a casualty rate that approached 50 percent and an extreme shortage of personnel and equipment, the 761st would ultimately help liberate some thirty towns and villages, as well as several branch concentration camps. Most white families, I'm sad to say, did not and do not talk about this essential part of American history. Many black families learn the basics of this and other stories because they are passed down by elders. But then death and injury start to take their toll on The Firm, leaving Gez with PTSD and a new battle just beginning. It’s also the story of how black soldiers had to fight (literally and figuratively) for the right to fight the Germans.

Abdul-Jabbar does an incredible job of weaving [the personal stories] into the context of the war as it unfolded. More Americans need to understand what our Black countrymen have had to deal with, live through, PUT UP WITH, just to be seen as whole, as a person. One of the Medal of Honor recipients from this review commission was Ruben Rivers of the 761st “Black Panther” Tank Battalion, which was an entirely Black battalion. I expected ‘Brothers in Arms’ to provide details but the opening was marred by some simple inaccuracies that any WWII novice historian would catch.

Brothers in Arms by Geraint Jones - Pan Macmillan Brothers in Arms by Geraint Jones - Pan Macmillan

Patton, who had made it plain in past writings that he thought blacks couldn't think quickly enough for armored warfare, yet was only too glad to have their support in critical battles. I recommend for readers of WWII history and African-American history; as well as fans of "Band of Brothers" and "Patton. But the subject matter is important and Abdul-Jabbar's fine rendering of this piece of history demands a higher rating. The 761st has been said to be the greatest tank battalion the Army has ever seen, and through the prose of Kareem Abdul-Jabar, we are afforded the opportunity to learn about these men and their lives. There is a great story here of the 761st Tank Battalion, an all black tank battalion that fought in the European Theater of WW2.Brothers in Arms is the actual, heroic account of the 761st Tank Battalion, an African-American armored unit that fought in World War II. Informative read about an all African-American tank unit that fought bravely in the European Theater of Operations. A brilliant and moving narrative that through its imagery helps the reader appreciate the hardness of battle. With "Brothers in Arms, The Epic Story of the 761stTank Battalion, WWII's Forgotten Heroes", Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who has become a capable historian in his post-NBA years, and Anthony Walton, finally do justice to the remarkable but almost completely unknown story of the 761st Tank Battalion, whose motto was "Come Out Fighting!