Brothers in Arms

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Anthony Walton

3/19/2005

Up until and through World War II, the American military was segregated. Over the years African Americans had become less respected in the military. The American South was still severely segregated and anti-Negro. The American North wasn't segregated nor were attitudes the same, but a second class citizenship for Negroes was still underlying.

When Pearl Harbor was attacked Americans everywhere became very loyal and patriotic. The United States of America joined the war in Europe against Germany and engaged in the Pacific against Japan. Young men everywhere joined the military to protect our country. That included blacks as well as whites. But it took over 25 years for the contributions of most black soldiers, pilots, or sailors to be recognized.

The first African American tank unit was the 761st Battalion. The men first trained in Kentucky or Louisiana, then in Texas. The men from the North quickly learned their freedom was curtailed while they were in the South. At the time, black units were often trained, but not intended to ever leave the United States to fight the War. After the 761st completed training, they spent about two years playing "enemy" in war games against other tank units

But in 1944 761st Tank Battalion was sent over to Germany. They were put under General Patton's command and sent to the front. Patton visited them on their arrival and told them he asked for the because he only used "the best". Fortunately they never knew Patton's personal prejudices, not believing they were the best.Then these young men spent the next six months on the front, including in the Battle of the Bulge. They rarely had a break before ordered to join yet another artillary unit. Those six months proved the strength and courage of the men. In that time they had liberated towns, lost comrades and tanks, lost ground, gained ground, crossed the Rhine River, liberated prisoner of war camps, and even liberated a concentration camp, a sight none of them would forget.

When Abdul-Jabbar was a teenager he knew one of the New York Transit's policemen. He found out many years later that Smitty, Leonard Smith, was one of the men who was part of the 761st Battalion. Abdul-Jabbar's interest increased in this forgotten chapter from World War II. He started speaking with and taking notes from the survivors of the 761st. Within a few years he was joined by Anthony Walton to write this book. The book centers on Smith's and two others' experiences, but the book applies to all in the unit.

This is a vital telling of the true story of the black soldiers and their tanks in Europe in the winter of 1944 to 1945. Abdul-Jabbar and Walton have written this book in a casual, poignant narrative tone. The horrors of battles are described to sadden but not overwhelm the reader. Of course this is not only a war book, but a racial confrontation book. These American men were accepted more easily by the Europeans they met than their own countrymen. Heroic men exist everywhere, usually quietly. This is the illuminating story of one group of them.

You can find more about this book at .