24th Infantry Regiment-"Semper Paratus" (Always Prepared)

 The 24th Infantry Regiment (one of the Buffalo Soldier regiments) was organized on November 1, 1869 from the 38th and 41st (Colored) Infantry Regiments. All the enlisted soldiers were black, either veterans of the U.S. Colored Troops or freedmen. From its activation to 1898, the 24th Infantry served throughout the Western United States. Its missions included garrisoning frontier posts, battling American Indians, protecting roadways against bandits, and guarding the border between the United States and Mexico.

 

The Regiment is most famous for the “Houston Riots (1917)”

Around noon August 23, 1917, two Houston police officers stormed into the home of an African American woman, allegedly looking for someone in the neighborhood, after firing a warning shot outside. They physically assaulted her, then dragged her partially clad into the street, all in view of her five small children. The woman began screaming, demanding to know why she was being arrested, and a crowd began to gather. A soldier from the 24th Infantry stepped forward to ask what was going on. The police officers promptly beat him to the ground and arrested him as well. Their official reports and later news reports stated the soldier was charged with interfering with the arrest of a publicly drunk female. Later that afternoon, Corporal Charles Baltimore went to the Houston police station to investigate the arrest, as well as beating of another black soldier, and also to attempt to gain the release of the soldier. An argument began which led to violence, and Corporal Baltimore was beaten, shot at, and himself arrested by the police.

The Camp Logan riot began the evening of August 23, when 156 angry soldiers, stole weapons from the camp depot and marched on the city of Houston. They were met outside the city by the police and a crowd of armed citizens, frightened by the reports of a mutiny. A virtual race riot began, which left 20 people dead - four soldiers, four policemen, and 12 civilians. Order was restored the next day, and the War Department disarmed the soldiers. The Third Battalion was sent by rail back to New Mexico.

 

From the end of World War II through 1947, the 24th occupied Okinawa, Japan, after which it relocated to Gifu, Japan. On February 1, 1947, the regiment reorganized as a permanent regiment of the 25th Infantry Division. Despite the desegregation of the U.S. armed forces in 1948 by Executive Order 9981, the 24th Infantry remained predominantly African–American, with an officer corps of both African and European Americans. In late June 1950, soon after North Korea invaded South Korea, the 24th deployed to Korea to assist in the Korean War.

 The 24th Infantry fought throughout the entire Korean peninsula, from the defense of the "Pusan Perimeter" to its breakout and the pursuit of communist forces well into North Korea, to the Chinese counteroffensives, and finally to U.N. counteroffensives that stabilized near the current Demilitarized Zone. The regiment received the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation for its defense of the Pusan Perimeter. The regiment also had two posthumous Medal of Honor recipients, Cornelius H. Charlton and William Thompson.

 

Although the 24th performed well in the attack north of the Han and the subsequent general withdrawal of the Eighth Army after the Chinese spring offensive of 1951, its reputation was somewhat tarnished. But it performed well in the Army's drive back north in May and June 1951.


In August, the regiment's new commander, Colonel Thomas D. Gillis, prodded by the division commander, closely examined the 24th's record in Korea. Determining that leadership had been the problem, he relieved a number of officers. After the change in command, Company F conducted a valiant bayonet and grenade charge on September 15. But, the positive performance of Company F was ignored by higher commands and the news media. By October 1, 1951, the 24th was dissolved.

The unit, like any military unit is filled with success and failures. But the main issue that plagued the regiment and aided in its demise was a lack of trust and confidence in the men which was displayed regularly by its white officers. Racial prejudice and ignorance created a environment that was ripe for failure in combat. There is a lot that took place during the 24^th history form its creation to inactivation. If this wet’s your appetite then I encourage you to read more about their exploits during the Korean war.

761st Tank Battalion: "The Black Panthers"

African-Americans have contributed greatly to the history of the US military despite great obstacles and setbacks they managed to carve their way into history. Based on his personal experiences during WWI, Col. James A. Moss, Commander of the 367^th Infantry Regiment, 92^nd Division said, “As fighting troops, the Negro must be rated as second-class material, this primarily to his inferior intelligence and lack of mental and moral qualities.” Col. Perry L. Miles, Commander of the 371^th Infantry Regiment, 93rd Division said something very similar: “In a future war, the main use of the Negro should be in labor organizations.” And General George S. Patton, Jr. in a letter written to his wife wrote her and said, “a colored Soldier cannot think fast enough to fight in armor.” So from the time these and men like them enlisted to fight for a country that was still suppressing them, they would soon find themselves fighting on two separate fronts, home and soon in Europe.

 

As with many within the services fought against African-Americans serving, one General was a pioneer and saw what allowing them to fight could do for the country and the military as a whole. That Officer was Lieutenant General Leslie J. McNair, who was serving as the chief of the U.S. Army ground forces. His voice became the major proponent in support of African Americans serving within the armored corps. He believed that as a nation we could not afford to exclude African Americans as he viewed them as an important source of manpower. The black press, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and the Congress of Racial Equality also placed increasing pressure on the War Department and President Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration to allow black soldiers to serve on an equal footing with white soldiers.

The 761st Tank Battalion was an independent tank battalion of the United States Army during World War II. The 761st was made up primarily of African-American soldiers, who by federal law were not permitted to serve alongside white troops; the military did not officially desegregate until after World War II. They were known as the Black Panthers after their unit's distinctive insignia; their motto was "Come out fighting". The battalion received a Presidential Unit Citation for its actions. In addition, a large number of individual members also earned awards, including one Medal of Honor and 11 Silver Stars.

Before and during World War II, American military leaders had reservations about using African American soldiers in combat. General Lesley J. McNair, the commander of Army Ground Forces, successfully argued that "colored" units should be employed in combat. At McNair's suggestion, the US Army began to experiment with segregated combat units in 1941; the program was supported by, and given national exposure in, Life magazine. The 761st was constituted on 15 March 1942, and activated 1 April 1942, at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana. The battalion began training in M5 Stuart light tanks. They learned how to maneuver, mount, dismount, and maintain the vehicle's 37 mm main gun and .30 caliber machine guns. Final training was at Fort Hood, Texas, where they were upgraded to the M4 Sherman medium tank, which had a 75 mm main gun, two .30 caliber machine guns, a .50 caliber machine gun, and a two-inch smoke mortar.

Most of the black tankers had to train in bases located in deep Southern states such as Kentucky, Louisiana, and Texas. In the days before the civil rights advances made in the 1960s, black people were still treated harshly in the South and often considered an inferior race. The men of the 761st trained for almost two years, conscious of the fact that white units were being sent overseas after as little as two or three months.

 

There were many acts of racism, including murder, against all the black battalions by soldiers from nearby Camp Polk and Camp Livingston who visited Alexandria, Louisiana on weekend leave. In March 1943, several members of the unit were severely beaten and one was killed and found dead on the train tracks in Alexandria. Several members of the 761st vowed to retaliate. They commandeered six tanks and a half-track but were persuaded by Lieutenant Colonel Bates who promised to straighten the situation out.

The most famous member of the 761st was First Lieutenant Jack Robinson. During the 761st's training, a white bus driver told Robinson to move to the back of the bus, and Robinson refused. Although his battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Paul L. Bates, refused to consider the court-martial charges put forward by the arresting military policemen, the base commander transferred Robinson to the 758th Tank Battalion, whose commander was willing to sign the insubordination court-martial order. Robinson was eventually acquitted of all charges, though he never saw combat. After the war he was instrumental in desegregating professional baseball.

As the 761st was about to enter combat, Patton reviewed the battalion and made a speech to the men which offered a guarded vote of confidence in their abilities:

“Men, you're the first Negro tankers to ever fight in the American Army. I would never have asked for you if you weren't good. I have nothing but the best in my Army. I don't care what color you are as long as you go up there and kill those Kraut sonsofbitches. Everyone has their eyes on you and is expecting great things from you. Most of all your race is looking forward to your success. Don't let them down and damn you, don't let me down! They say it is patriotic to die for your country. Well, let’s see how many patriots we can make out of those German sonsofbitches.”

However, like most American military officers of the era, Patton expressed his doubts about using black men in combat. On returning to headquarters following the review, he remarked, "They gave a good first impression, but I have no faith in the inherent fighting ability of the race." He only put this sentiment aside and accepted the 761st when he desperately needed all the ground power he could get. Even after the war, Patton was not inclined to reform his perception of black soldiers. In War As I Knew It, he relates the interaction described above, and comments, "Individually they were good soldiers, but I expressed my belief at the time, and have never found the necessity of changing it, that a colored soldier cannot think fast enough to fight in armor."

Tank commander Sergeant Warren G. H. Crecy came to the aid of his men on 10 November 1944, and fought through enemy positions until his tank was destroyed. He eliminated an enemy position that had knocked out his tank by commandeering a vehicle armed with only a .30-caliber machine gun. He then eliminated the German forward observers who were directing artillery fire on the US positions.

After manning a replacement tank, Crecy's new vehicle lost traction in heavy mud and he was forced to exit the tank under fierce machine gun, antitank, and artillery fire to free the tracks. When attacked by German infantry, he had to abandon his salvage efforts to man the .50-caliber machine gun, effectively holding off the advancing enemy, then forcing them to withdraw.

Described as a baby-faced, "quiet, easy-going, meek-looking fellow", Crecy had destroyed an antitank position and a number of German machine gun positions armed only with a machine gun and without regard for his personal safety, under heavy fire. His men reportedly experienced difficulty getting the machine gun away from him after the action.

Crecy was nominated for the Medal of Honor and received a battlefield commission, eventually retiring with the rank of major. His heroic actions earned him the title "Baddest Man in the 761st" from his comrades.

 

While serving with Company A of the 761st, the Medal of Honor was awarded posthumously to Staff Sergeant Ruben Rivers in 1997.

His Official Citation read:

“For extraordinary heroism in action during the 15–19 November 1944, toward Guebling, France. Though severely wounded in the leg, Sergeant Rivers refused medical treatment and evacuation, took command of another tank, and advanced with his company in Guebling the next day. Repeatedly refusing evacuation, Sergeant Rivers continued to direct his tank's fire at enemy positions through the morning of 19 November 1944. At dawn, Company A's tanks began to advance towards Bougaktroff [sic, correct name is Bourgaltroff], but were stopped by enemy fire. Sergeant Rivers, joined by another tank, opened fire on the enemy tanks, covering company A as they withdrew. While doing so, Sergeant River's tank was hit, killing him and wounding the crew. Staff Sergeant Rivers' fighting spirit and daring leadership were an inspiration to his unit and exemplify the highest traditions of military service.”

The battalion first saw combat on 7 November 1944, fighting through towns such as Moyenvic, Vic-sur-Seille and Morville-lès-Vic, often at the leading edge of the advance. The unit endured 183 days of continuous operational employment.

In November 1944 the unit had suffered 156 casualties; 24 men killed, 88 wounded, and 44 non-battle. The unit also lost 14 tanks and another 20 damaged in combat. In December, the battalion was rushed to the aid of the 101st Airborne Division at Bastogne. From December 31, 1944, to February 2, 1945, the 761st took part in the American counteroffensive following the Battle of the Bulge. In a major battle at Tillet, Belgium, the 761st operated for two continuous days against German panzer and infantry units, who withdrew in the face of the Black Panthers' attack. The operations of the 761st in the Bulge split the enemy lines at three points–the HouffalizeBastogne road, the St. VithBastogne highway, and the St. VithTrier road–preventing the resupply of German forces encircling American troops at Bastogne.

After the Battle of the Bulge, the unit opened the way for the U.S. 4th Armored Division into Germany during an action that breached the Siegfried Line. During this time the 761st captured seven German towns, more than 400 vehicles, 80 heavy weapons, 200 horses and thousands of small arms. During that three-day period, the battalion inflicted more than 4,000 casualties on the German army and it was later realized that the 761st had fought against units belonging to at least 14 German divisions. In the final days of the war in Europe, the 761st was one of the first American units to reach the Steyr in Austria, at the Enns River, where they met with Ukrainians of the Soviet Army.

A documentary, which was touted as historically accurate, claimed that the 761st Tank Battalion, attached to the 71st Division, liberated one of the Nazi concentration camps, Dachau. Veterans who participated in the liberation of these camps deny that the soldiers of the 761st Tank Battalion were there, and the US Army does not recognize the 761st as liberators of any of the Nazi camps. Many attest this to the mindset of the times; though they were fighting to help free the Jews from racism and discrimination, much like they experienced back home. These men still executed their missions in Europe where not only were they in danger of the Nazis but some of their fellow Americans who felt they had no right or business to be there themselves.               

The 761st was deactivated 1 June 1946 in Germany. But throughout their participation they more than lived up to their motto, “Come Out Fighting.”

  

A Good Life

As I drove home from my weekend in Atlanta with some old college and high school buddies I had plenty of time to do a lil self-reflection during said drive. I wished more of our old crew could have been there but it was good to see those that could make it. As I drove I realized just how hard I have worked to get where I am today as well as how God has blessed me and assisted me over those years. I have a lot to be grateful for and not a day goes by that I’m not. I got to see some people this past weekend that I haven’t seen since the mid 90’s and I’m proud of them and what they all have accomplished since then. I wondered how in the hell did all of us get here when so many others do not and or blame the system for their misfortune. I mean none of us were rich; none of us had it made. All of us had to make hard decisions about our lives and then execute based on what we thought was gonna help us to be successful. And in doing so here we all were…successful in our own right. It made me think back to other friends and how they must be doing and if they saw their lives and being successful or rich as I was.  Many times we focus on what we don’t have vs what we do have or what’s right in front of us.

I did something this past weekend which started out as a small joke but turned into a brief lesson and a new found appreciation for some work that some do that’s not all too easy. One of the young girls that works with my wife allowed me to take care of her “roots.” Now she’s pretty tough but even braver for allowing me to do this. As we got the bleach ready smiles and a few jokes started flying about what was gonna happen. But soon I was on my way to tackling her roots and I received plenty of tips and feedback about what I was doing and needed to do. Everyone was supportive and helpful in their own comedic way. I think they got a kick out of it because I was attempting to do something well within their wheel houses and I’m sure they would love for some of their clients to take a stroll in their shoes (as I was doing) some days when they are being demanding and bitchy.  About mid-way through I was like, “shit…they make this look way too easy.”  I have watched my wife and many of her co-workers do this countless times but I really had no idea how hard it was. Smooth is fast and fast is smooth is something we say in the military when we discuss weapons training and movement but this methodology can be used when doing hair if you didn’t know. And I was neither being smooth nor fast. And when it was all said and done I was a lil tired and I realized just how much they all work five days a week. I didn’t say anything at the time but I was given a small taste of what they do and it was enough to be humbled. So the next time you get your haircut, foiled, colored, roots thank them because it’s not easy…not easy at all.

Five years ago today I was in Korea and preparing to come home and walking into a divorce. At the time I thought my world was ending and that the plans that were created had to now be scrapped. I literally had no idea what I was gonna do, live or how I was gonna survive. One thing I did have was faith that God was gonna be there and that the road ahead was not gonna be smooth. It was not smooth nor was it bumpy. One could easily say there wasn’t a road and I had no choice but to create one which is no easy task. Fast forward five years later and here I sit with a cup of coffee and a smile on my face. I’m married to a beautiful woman, ALL my kids are doing well in school and in personal ventures, and I have great friends (near and far) and a very loving and supportive family. Something you surely need when times get tough. There were tons of others that helped me through this time lending me an ear or other things when it was called for it which allowed me to grow and find the mindset I needed to move forward and be successful. One such person has since passed on but her impact on me is ever lasting and she will never be forgotten…never.

As I made that drive up from Atlanta and continued on with my reflections I read a message from a friend of mine who has decided to retire. I was contacted by this old friend and he was telling me his story and the decisions that were made that will surely enhance his future. As I sat and listened to him talk I was reminded that you are never as unique as you may think in regards to certain problems you may face. As I listened to my man’s frank and honest story I was proud of him and that he felt he could talk to me in the manner in which he did. No shame, no guilt…just telling it like it is. There are a few of my friends that I can always count on to do this.

One such individual has moved me so much over the years that Thursday night I saw a car broken down on the side of the road and I heard his words in my mind so I stopped and decided to help. Turns out it was a young woman and she had run out of gas just shy of her exit. She had called her mom just prior to me stopping. I had my uniform on so that probably made her a lil bit more comfortable. We talked, and I drove her to get gas, back to her car and waited to make sure it started and she was on her way. She asked what I owed her I said nothing. I have a wife and daughters…and if they ever broke down, I’d hope someone would stop and help them as I just did. She thanked me again and drove off. I smiled and said, yeah “Blackman” would be giving me a high five right now. I laughed and was back on the road.

A few weeks before that I heard from another friend of mine and he just wanted to say how my relationship with my wife has motivated him and his fiancée. We haven’t talked since our days at Polk but it was like old times as we chatted up. His daughters play ball and I enjoy his posts about them and their activities. I’m so proud of him because as a single father many have gotten a bad rap and the negative usual outweighs the good. I had no idea my bit-strip cartoon, photos, and jokes with my wife did anything other than make me smile and think I’m funnier than I probably am. But as we talked he told me that they too are currently doing things long distance and that if I have made it work than he knows they could do it too. I was flattered by his words because I never saw me as doing anything other than being a cornball at times.

I was talking to a buddy a few weeks before my Atlanta trip and asked him how is it we have gotten here and we really didn’t have any “special” resources that one could say gave us a leg up. As we talked at one point he said, “Ding, we kinda all followed you.” Followed me? What the hell. He then went on to explain and when he was done, I understood where he was coming. I’d never looked at it that way. I left college and joined the Army for my own reasons and I never once thought it would affect others. It was humbling to listen to someone I had looked up to talk about me. So you never know how your actions, small or large, affect someone else and their life. I used to always say I wished I had a group of friends like you’ve seen in movies like “The Wood”, “The Best Man” and a few others. Low and behold, I had that all the time; I simply wasn’t always in a position to spend time with them. So here I sit blessed with good fortune and good friends.

I’m grateful all God has given me and those I love and choose to call friend. Because you know what…I have a pretty good life not matter how you look at it and I’m rich with things not many have…a good life.