europe

After finishing this book I found myself a bit disappointed. It seemed that the authors were trying to accomplish two goals; To chronicle the battle history of a distinguished unit in WWII and to tell the tale of the personal struggles of the men who made up the unit and fought for their country dispite the racism and bigotry of the times. Unfortunatly the book fell short on both goals.
As has been previously mentioned; How can you tell a tale of war and heroism without a single map or diagram. Details descriptions of tactial situations are fine, but a picture, (diagram, map) is worth a thousand words. And the same is true to recount the strategic situation as well!
As for the other goal, I got the feeling that at least half the story was missing. I want to hear what happened as these brave and honorable men returned to "Normal" life in their own country and had to fight for respect and acceptance all over again. But that story simply isn't here.
It is still a great story, and a book that should be read, especially by young men looking for guidance and role models. (white as well as black!) but I just get the feeling that it could have been much more.....

If I were to name the five most important books I'd read on WWII this one would have to be near the top. The only criticism has already been mentioned, it would be great to have theater maps that would help you get a feel for the areas in which the 761st operated. Still what comes through most forcefully for me is the courage and humanity of these soldiers. It's hard to accept that their story has taken so long to tell and that so many are no longer here to accept our thank yous.

"Brothers in Arms" the under-appreciated story of the 761 Tank Battalion, an African American armored unit attached to Patton's Third Army in World War II. In this volume, the authors assemble the unit's story from the enlisted man's perspective, an approach not attempted in earlier, more obscure histories. We therefore get the story of Leonard Smith and his friends William McBurney and Preston McNeil. Equally important to the unit's history are "Pop" Gates, the non-com who shaped teenage boys into top-notch soldiers; "Iron Man" William Crecy, whose fearless heroism spanned both World War II and Korea; and even Lt. Jackie Robinson, whose stateside brush with Jim Crow justice cost him combat experience, but allowed him to make his mark on history in other ways.

This is the sad truth of a segregated army, run by frequently indifferent white officers, with troops conducting their training in the outright hostile environs of Louisiana, Texas, and Kentucky. Men of the 761 endure the U.S. Army's last-class accommodations and treatment across the ocean to Europe, in the staging areas of England, and right up to the front line, where expediency forces them to join up with distrustful white units. Horrific combat during the winter of 1944-45 takes its toll not only in lives but also in attitudes. Proving themselves to be superlative as a fighting unit, the 761 Tank Battalion contributes to victory in Europe while paving the way for eventual desegregation of the U.S. armed forces.

What I like about this book is the thoughtful research that gives multiple dimensions to this story. The Jim Crow aspects, while well-told, are only a part of the narrative. You get an overview of the stages through which street kids are developed into troops, one camp at a time. The Sherman tank (the principle weapon of the 761) is described from the crew's standpoint. So too are battlefield artillery tactics and the role of terrain in maneuvering against an emplaced enemy. Attention is given to the lulls and pitch of battle. Passages describe foraging for food and trying to sleep in cold, steel vehicles during one of the coldest European winters of the century. A wonderful selection of photographs captures both stateside and European travels of 761. I was particularly touched by the photo of Sgt. Harvey Woodard, looking exhausted but resolute in the turret of his Sherman, apparently only hours away from his death.

What disappoints me is a lack of maps to give the reader some appreciation of the places and distances involved. Also, there is a sudden shift in narrative about two thirds of the way through. Up to that point, the reader rides along at the tank crews' perspective, particularly that of Leonard Smith. The reader is treated to the sights, sounds, fears, and humor that sustains these young men. But after the pivotal battle at Tillet, the tone shifts. The text from that point forward to the war's conclusion reads more like unit histories, where we no longer accompany the fighting men, but read the impersonal unit-level histories. Only at the very end do our heroes return, where the authors devote a paragraph to each describing their post-war lives.

"Brothers in Arms" adds to the "two fronts" battle legacy of African Americans in World War II U.S. military service who took on Jim Crow and the axis powers at the same time. I would suggest that the authors ignored a "third front," on which black officers and non-coms fought. This would be their struggle with the cynical, disaffected men in their own ranks who scoffed at black superiors as "Uncle Toms" for cooperating with "the Man." You can't tell me there weren't a few of these types in the ranks. The success of the black captains, lieutenants, and sergeants would take on even larger proportions if this truth were also told.

It is also interesting to note that an abridged version of Leonard Smith's story is included in "We Were There: Voices of African American Veterans," by Latty and Tarver. A comparison of the two volumes shows some inconsistency in the details. But the major themes remain in sync. This is not to take anything away from Leonard Smith (a hero in my book), who is finally, finally getting the recognition he is due. It is satisfying to see history made complete by filling in stories that were left untold for whatever reason. The authors are to be commended for that.