- 2 days ago
A mine tore his leg to the bone. His captain ordered him off the battlefield. He said no. Then he climbed into another tank and fought for three more days with an open wound turning gangrenous.
Staff Sergeant Ruben Rivers was a 26-year-old half-Cherokee tanker from Oklahoma, serving in the 761st Tank Battalion — the first Black armored unit in American combat history. They called themselves the Black Panthers. The Army had spent two years trying to decide if these men were even capable of operating tanks. Patton personally requested them for his Third Army. What followed was 183 days of nonstop fighting across six countries.
But Rivers never saw the end of it. On November 19th, 1944, near Bourgaltroff, France, German anti-tank guns pinned down his entire company. Rivers grabbed his radio. The four words he transmitted made his captain go silent. What happened next — and what the Army did with his captain's recommendation afterward — is something that took over half a century to come to light.
Some soldiers get forgotten. Some get erased on purpose.
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Staff Sergeant Ruben Rivers was a 26-year-old half-Cherokee tanker from Oklahoma, serving in the 761st Tank Battalion — the first Black armored unit in American combat history. They called themselves the Black Panthers. The Army had spent two years trying to decide if these men were even capable of operating tanks. Patton personally requested them for his Third Army. What followed was 183 days of nonstop fighting across six countries.
But Rivers never saw the end of it. On November 19th, 1944, near Bourgaltroff, France, German anti-tank guns pinned down his entire company. Rivers grabbed his radio. The four words he transmitted made his captain go silent. What happened next — and what the Army did with his captain's recommendation afterward — is something that took over half a century to come to light.
Some soldiers get forgotten. Some get erased on purpose.
Subscribe for forgotten WW2 stories ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@ww2dispatchh
Like if you think this story deserves to be remembered
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LearningTranscript
00:00November 19, 1944. 06.42 in the morning. Staff Sergeant Ruben Rivers peered through his periscope
00:07inside an M4 Sherman near Borgaltroth, France, tracking German anti-tank guns across frozen fields
00:14while blood-soaked bandages held together what remained of his shattered left leg.
00:19He was 26 years old, 13 days in combat, one silver star for bravery.
00:24That month, the 761st Tank Battalion had already lost 14 tanks, 24 men dead, 81 wounded.
00:32The killing showed no sign of stopping. Rivers was half Cherokee, born in Tecumseh, Oklahoma.
00:38He had worked the railroad before the war. He stood 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighed 190 pounds.
00:44The Army had assigned him to Company A of the 761st Tank Battalion in 1942.
00:49They called themselves the Black Panthers. Their motto was simple, come out fighting.
00:55Most white officers in the Army believed black soldiers could not operate tanks.
00:59Colonel Perry Miles had written that the main use of Negroes in future wars should be labor organizations.
01:05Even George Patton had written to his wife that a colored soldier could not think fast enough to fight in
01:11armor.
01:11The 761st trained for two years at Camp Hood, Texas. White tank battalions trained for six months.
01:18The Army wanted to be certain these men could handle the machinery before sending them to die.
01:23The battalion landed at Omaha Beach on October 10, 1944.
01:27General Patton requested them personally for his third army.
01:31He stood on an armored car and addressed the 676 black enlisted men and 30 black officers.
01:38He told them they were the first Negro tankers to fight in American history.
01:42He told them he did not care what color they were as long as they went up there and killed
01:46Germans.
01:48Their race was watching.
01:49He told them not to let him down.
01:51Company A entered combat on November 7 near Vicksur Sale.
01:55The fighting was brutal from the first engagement.
01:58German mortars and rifle fire pinned down infantry in roadside ditches.
02:02Rivers was positioned in the lead tank when a fallen tree and mines blocked the narrow road.
02:07He dismounted under small arms fire and removed the roadblock by hand.
02:11The action earned him the Silver Star, the first awarded to the 761st.
02:16The Sherman tank was reliable and easy to repair.
02:19It was also a death trap.
02:21The 75mm gun could not penetrate German Panther frontal armor beyond 500 yards.
02:27Panthers could spot Shermans from 1,200 yards and destroy them with a single shot.
02:32German crews called American tankers Ronsons.
02:35They lit the first time.
02:36In three weeks of combat, Company A lost 23 Shermans.
02:41Eleven loaders died in those burning hulls.
02:44Rivers knew the mathematics.
02:45German tanks fired first.
02:47German tanks hit first.
02:49American crews died first.
02:51On November 16th, Company A advanced toward the town of Gebeling.
02:55Rivers commanded the lead tank.
02:57At a railroad crossing just outside town, the Sherman hit a mine.
03:01The explosion sent shrapnel through the turret floor and sliced Rivers' left leg to the bone.
03:06The medic offered morphine.
03:08Rivers refused.
03:09Captain David Williams ordered evacuation.
03:12Rivers refused.
03:13He said the company would need him.
03:15He said a couple days would not make any difference.
03:18He took command of another Sherman and advanced into Gebeling the next day.
03:22Gangrene was eating through his leg.
03:24And Rivers still would not leave his tank.
03:26Take a second to hit like.
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03:31Subscribe if you haven't.
03:32Back to Rivers.
03:33The wound festered.
03:35By November 18th, infection had spread through the damaged tissue.
03:39A medic inspected the swollen leg and shouted that Rivers had gangrene.
03:43Williams again ordered evacuation.
03:46Rivers looked at his captain and said the next push would be tough.
03:49He said another two days would not matter.
03:51German guns opened fire before Williams could respond.
03:55The conversation ended there.
03:56At dawn on November 19th, Rivers led Company A toward Borg-Altroth.
04:01German anti-tank positions concealed beyond hedgerows opened fire immediately.
04:06Two Black Panther tanks exploded within seconds.
04:09Williams ordered his remaining Shermans to withdraw and take cover.
04:13Rivers had spotted the enemy guns.
04:15He radioed four words that would be remembered for 53 years.
04:19And then the Germans fired again.
04:20The 761st Tank Battalion was activated on April 1st, 1942, at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana.
04:28The Army housed them in segregated quarters, a mile from the front gate on rutted dirt roads.
04:33They lived in canvas tents next to the sewage treatment facility.
04:37White tank battalions trained on paved streets near the main buildings.
04:41Rivers arrived at Camp Claiborne in March 1942.
04:44He was assigned to Able Company.
04:46The men trained on M5 Stuart Light tanks, armed with 37mm cannons.
04:52They learned to maneuver and maintain the vehicles.
04:54They learned to mount and dismount under fire.
04:57They learned to operate the radios and coordinate with infantry.
05:00Captain Charles Calvert took notice of Rivers during training exercises.
05:04Calvert promoted him to sergeant.
05:06In August 1942, the battalion moved to Camp Livingston for combat maneuvers.
05:11They performed as well as white tank battalions.
05:14When they returned to Camp Claiborne in September, their morale was high.
05:18It did not last.
05:19Local civilians hurled racist insults when the men went into town.
05:23White officers at the camp treated them as laborers, not soldiers.
05:27The contradiction was inescapable.
05:29They were training to fight fascism in Europe while living under Jim Crow in Louisiana.
05:34The battalion moved to Camp Hood, Texas, in September 1943.
05:37They were upgraded to M4 Sherman medium tanks, equipped with 75mm main guns.
05:44Rivers and his crew trained extensively on the new vehicles.
05:47They practiced gunnery at moving targets.
05:50They rehearsed formation attacks.
05:52They drilled on tank infantry coordination until every movement became automatic.
05:57White tank crews trained for six months and shipped out.
06:00The 761st trained for two years.
06:02Army commanders needed proof that black men could handle armored warfare.
06:06On June 9, 1944, three days after D-Day, the battalion received deployment orders.
06:13They boarded the British troop carrier Esperance Bay in New York on August 27.
06:18The 10-day voyage to England was uneventful.
06:20In Britain, they were equipped with upgraded M4A3 Shermans, mounting 76mm cannons.
06:27The improved gun gave them better penetration against German armor.
06:30It still was not enough.
06:31The battalion crossed the English Channel and landed at Omaha Beach on October 10.
06:36They drove inland across 400 miles of French countryside in six days.
06:41General Patton assigned them to the 26th Infantry Division.
06:45They were attached to the 104th Infantry Regiment.
06:48Their mission was to break through German defensive positions, protecting the Saar Industrial Region.
06:53The Siegfried Line fortifications had stopped multiple American advances.
06:58Company A rolled into combat on November 7, near Morville-les-Viques.
07:02The fighting was immediate and savage.
07:04German forces had prepared defensive positions in the dense forests.
07:08Machine gun nests covered every approach.
07:11Anti-tank guns were dug in behind hedgerows.
07:14Self-propelled artillery could strike from concealed positions and withdraw before American gunners acquired targets.
07:20Rivers commanded the lead Sherman in most engagements.
07:24On November 8, a German roadblock stopped the column outside Vixur-Seil.
07:28Enemy mortars began dropping rounds on stranded infantry.
07:32Rivers dismounted from his tank and removed the obstacle, while small arms fire erupted around him.
07:38The roadblock cleared.
07:39The advance continued.
07:41Captain Williams recommended Rivers for the Silver Star.
07:43Between November 8 and November 15, Company A fought through Chateau Saline and surrounding villages.
07:50They knocked out German machine gun positions.
07:53They destroyed enemy supply trucks.
07:55They supported infantry assaults against fortified buildings.
07:58The 761st was proving what every white officer had doubted.
08:02Black tankers could fight.
08:04Black tankers could win.
08:05But the cost was mounting.
08:0714 tanks evacuated or destroyed.
08:0924 men dead.
08:1181 wounded.
08:12The battalion had been in continuous combat for nine days.
08:16There was no rotation to rear areas.
08:18There were no replacement crews arriving.
08:20The men who started the fight would have to finish it.
08:23On November 16, at dawn, Company A received orders to assault Giebling.
08:28The town sat on high ground overlooking the approach roads.
08:31German forces held strong defensive positions.
08:34Intelligence reported Panther tanks and anti-tank guns covering all routes into the village.
08:39Rivers prepared his crew.
08:40He checked ammunition loads.
08:43He verified radio frequencies.
08:45He studied the maps showing their route.
08:47At 0600 hours, the Shermans moved out in formation.
08:51Rivers commanded the lead tank.
08:53The morning was cold.
08:54Frost covered the fields.
08:56The column approached Giebling along a narrow road flanked by hedgerows.
09:00At 0630, they reached a railroad crossing just outside town.
09:04Rivers' Sherman rolled onto the tracks.
09:06The mine detonated beneath the hull.
09:08The explosion tore through the Sherman's floor plating.
09:11Shrapnel ripped upward through the turret basket.
09:14Rivers was standing in the tank commander's position when jagged metal fragments sliced
09:18through his left leg.
09:19The blast drove steel splinters deep into muscle and shattered bone.
09:24Blood poured into his boot.
09:25The crew bailed out.
09:27They dragged Rivers from the turret and laid him beside the disabled tank.
09:30The medic cut away Rivers' pant leg and exposed the wound.
09:34Bone gleamed white through torn flesh.
09:36The bleeding was severe, but not arterial.
09:39The medic prepared a morphine Syrette.
09:41Rivers pushed it away.
09:43He needed to stay conscious.
09:45He needed to command.
09:46Captain Williams reached the scene within minutes.
09:49He assessed the damage to Rivers' leg and immediately ordered evacuation to the aid station.
09:54Rivers refused the order.
09:55He told Williams that Company A would need every experienced tank commander for the assault
10:00on Giebling.
10:01He said two days would not make any difference.
10:03Williams argued.
10:05Rivers did not move.
10:06The medic bandaged the wound as tightly as possible.
10:09Rivers could not put weight on the leg.
10:11Two crew members helped him walk to another Sherman.
10:14He climbed onto the hull and pulled himself into the commander's position.
10:18The pain was extraordinary.
10:19Rivers ignored it.
10:21At 0700 hours, Company A resumed the advance into Giebling.
10:25The Germans had prepared defensive positions throughout the town.
10:28Anti-tank guns covered the main street.
10:31Machine gun nests protected every intersection.
10:33Panzer grenadiers waited in fortified buildings with Panzerfaust anti-tank weapons.
10:38The Shermans pushed forward through concentrated fire.
10:42Rivers directed his tank's 76-millimeter gun at enemy positions.
10:46They knocked out a machine gun nest at 200 yards.
10:49They destroyed a German supply truck attempting to evacuate.
10:52The battle for Giebling lasted four hours.
10:56Company A lost two more Shermans to anti-tank fire.
10:59Three crew members were killed.
11:01Five were wounded.
11:02But by 1100 hours on November 17th, American forces controlled the town.
11:07Rivers had commanded his tank throughout the entire engagement.
11:11He had not requested relief.
11:12He had not mentioned his leg.
11:14That evening, Williams found Rivers in his tank.
11:17The bandages were soaked through with blood and fluid.
11:20The leg had swollen to twice its normal size.
11:23Rivers' face was pale.
11:25Sweat covered his forehead despite the November cold.
11:28Williams again ordered evacuation.
11:30Rivers again refused.
11:32He said the Germans would counterattack.
11:34He said Company A needed experienced commanders.
11:37November 18th brought no relief.
11:39Company A held defensive positions around Giebling.
11:42German artillery pounded their positions throughout the day.
11:45Rivers remained in his tank.
11:47He coordinated with infantry units.
11:49He adjusted fire missions.
11:51He monitored radio traffic for signs of enemy movement.
11:55The infection in his leg was spreading.
11:57Dark streaks extended up from the wound site.
12:00The flesh around the injury had turned gray.
12:02At 1500 hours on November 18th, Williams brought a medic to inspect Rivers' leg.
12:08The medic unwrapped the bandages.
12:10The smell was unmistakable.
12:12Gangrene had set in.
12:13The tissue was dying.
12:14Without immediate treatment, Rivers would lose the leg.
12:18Without evacuation, he would die.
12:20The medic told Williams that Rivers needed surgery within hours, or the infection would
12:25kill him.
12:26Williams ordered Rivers to be evacuated immediately.
12:29Rivers responded that the next push would be tough.
12:31He said another two days would make no difference.
12:34German artillery interrupted the conversation.
12:37Shells began impacting around Company A's positions.
12:40Williams took cover.
12:41When the barrage ended, Rivers was back in his tank checking ammunition counts.
12:46The 761st had been in combat for 12 days.
12:49They had traveled from Vixer Sale through Chateau Salin to Giebling.
12:54They had knocked out dozens of German positions.
12:56They had supported multiple infantry assaults.
12:59They had lost 16 tanks.
13:01Twenty-eight men were dead.
13:03Ninety-three were wounded.
13:05The battalion was exhausted.
13:06But General Patton needed them to continue the advance.
13:09On November 19th, at 0500 hours, Company A received orders to attack Borgaltroth.
13:16German intelligence indicated heavy defensive preparations.
13:19Panther tanks.
13:21Anti-tank guns.
13:22Fortified positions on high ground overlooking the approach roads.
13:26It would be the toughest fight yet.
13:27Rivers prepared his crew.
13:29He loaded extra ammunition.
13:31He verified his radio was functioning.
13:33His left leg no longer responded to commands.
13:36He could not feel anything below the knee.
13:38At 0530 on November 19th, Rivers climbed into his Sherman for the last time.
13:43The sky was still dark.
13:45Frost covered the tank's armor.
13:47Rivers could not walk without assistance.
13:49Two crew members lifted him onto the hull.
13:51He pulled himself into the commander's position.
13:54The infected leg hung useless in the turret.
13:56The smell of rotting tissue filled the confined space.
14:00Company A formed up in attack formation.
14:02Seven Shermans remained operational.
14:04Rivers commanded the lead tank.
14:06Intelligence reports indicated German forces had established defensive positions on high
14:11ground beyond Borgaltroth.
14:14Panther tanks were dug in hull down behind earthworks.
14:17Anti-tank guns covered the approach roads.
14:19Observation posts had clear fields of fire across open terrain.
14:23At 0600 hours, the column moved out.
14:26Visibility was poor.
14:28Morning fog clung to the ground.
14:30The Shermans advanced slowly along the narrow road toward Borgaltroth.
14:33Rivers scanned the terrain through his periscope.
14:36He could see hedgerows on both sides.
14:38Perfect ambush positions.
14:40The hair on his neck stood up.
14:42At 0642, German guns opened fire.
14:45The first round struck a Sherman 200 yards behind Rivers.
14:49The tank exploded.
14:50Burning fuel ignited the ammunition.
14:52A second Sherman took a direct hit to the turret.
14:55The crew bailed out.
14:56Three men were on fire.
14:58Anti-tank rounds began impacting all around Company A's position.
15:02The Germans had them zeroed in.
15:04Rivers identified muzzle flashes from concealed positions beyond the hedgerows.
15:08At least three anti-tank guns, possibly Panthers hull down behind earthworks.
15:13He could see the defensive layout now.
15:15The Germans had created an interlocking kill zone.
15:18Any Sherman that advanced would be destroyed from multiple angles.
15:22Any tank that remained stationary would be bracketed by artillery.
15:26Williams assessed the tactical situation.
15:28Company A was caught in a prepared ambush.
15:30Seven operational tanks against superior German armor and dug-in anti-tank guns.
15:36The smart decision was withdrawal.
15:38Williams radioed his tank commanders to pull back and take cover behind the nearest ridgeline.
15:43The Shermans began reversing.
15:45Rivers transmitted on the Company radio frequency.
15:48His voice was calm.
15:49He reported that he had visual contact on enemy positions.
15:53He stated that he would engage the anti-tank guns to cover the Company's withdrawal.
15:57Another Sherman moved up beside Rivers' tank.
16:00Together, they would provide covering fire.
16:03The two Shermans advanced toward the German positions.
16:05Rivers directed his gunner at the nearest anti-tank gun.
16:09The 76mm cannon fired.
16:11The German position disappeared in an explosion of earth and metal.
16:15The second Sherman engaged another target.
16:18Company A's remaining tanks withdrew behind cover.
16:21German gunners shifted fire to Rivers' Sherman.
16:24High-explosive rounds began impacting around the tank.
16:27Rivers continued directing fire.
16:29His gunner destroyed a second anti-tank gun.
16:32The radio crackled with Williams ordering Rivers to withdraw immediately.
16:36Rivers did not respond.
16:37He was focused on the third anti-tank position.
16:40The German gunners found their range.
16:42Two high-explosive shells struck Rivers' Sherman in rapid succession.
16:46The first round penetrated the turret face.
16:49The second hit the hull.
16:50Both shells detonated inside the tank.
16:53The explosion killed Rivers instantly.
16:55The blast threw the other crew members from the turret.
16:58All three survived with severe wounds.
17:01The second Sherman continued firing until its ammunition ran low.
17:05Then, it withdrew.
17:06The German anti-tank guns shifted fire to other targets.
17:10By 0715, Company A had pulled back to defensive positions.
17:14They had lost three tanks in the engagement.
17:16Four men were dead.
17:18Rivers was among them.
17:19Captain Williams reached the burning Sherman at 0800 hours after German fire slackened.
17:24Rivers' body remained in the commander's position.
17:27Williams had served with Rivers since Camp Claiborne.
17:29He had watched Rivers train for two years.
17:32He had seen Rivers earn the Silver Star on November 8th.
17:35He had watched Rivers refuse evacuation three times with a shattered leg.
17:39He had heard Rivers' final radio transmission.
17:43Williams wrote the Medal of Honor recommendation that night.
17:45He documented Rivers' actions from November 16th through November 19th.
17:50He described the refusal to evacuate despite severe wounds.
17:54He detailed the final engagement at Borgeltrof.
17:57He noted that Rivers had sacrificed himself to save his company.
18:00Williams submitted the paperwork on November 20th, 1944.
18:04He expected the army would act quickly.
18:06The action was obvious.
18:08The heroism was undeniable.
18:10The recommendation was clear.
18:12Williams was wrong about the army's response.
18:15The paperwork disappeared into the military bureaucracy.
18:18No Medal of Honor was awarded.
18:20No investigation was conducted.
18:22Rivers received the Silver Star and Purple Heart posthumously.
18:25Nothing more.
18:26The 761st Tank Battalion continued fighting after Rivers died.
18:31They had no time to mourn.
18:32German forces were preparing a massive counteroffensive in the Ardennes forest.
18:37On December 16th, 1944, three German armies smashed through American lines
18:42in what became known as the Battle of the Bulge.
18:45The 761st was rushed north to help stem the breakthrough.
18:49The 101st Airborne Division was surrounded at Bastogne.
18:53German forces had cut all roads into the town.
18:56Supplies were running critically low.
18:58Casualties were mounting.
19:00General Patton ordered his 3rd Army to break through and relieve the encirclement.
19:04The 761st Tank Battalion spearheaded the attack.
19:07The fighting around Bastogne was savage.
19:10Temperatures dropped below zero.
19:12Snow covered the battlefield.
19:14German forces fought desperately to hold their positions.
19:17Panther and Tiger tanks dominated the frozen fields.
19:20The 761st attacked through blizzard conditions.
19:23They lost nine tanks in two days of combat near the town of Tillay.
19:27But they broke through.
19:29Bastogne was relieved on December 26th.
19:31The battalion pushed east through January and February of 1945.
19:36They fought through the Siegfried Line fortifications.
19:39They crossed into Germany in March.
19:41They liberated concentration camps.
19:43They met Soviet forces in Austria on April 26th.
19:47By May 8th, when Germany surrendered, the 761st had been in continuous combat for 183 days.
19:54The statistics told the story.
19:56Three officers and 31 enlisted men killed in action.
20:0022 officers and 180 enlisted men wounded.
20:0371 tanks destroyed or evacuated.
20:06The battalion had suffered approximately 50% casualties.
20:10They had inflicted over 130,000 casualties on German forces.
20:15They had liberated 30 towns across six countries.
20:18Individual soldiers earned 391 decorations for heroism.
20:22Seven silver stars, including rivers.
20:2556 bronze stars.
20:27246 purple hearts.
20:29Eight black enlisted men received battlefield commissions.
20:32The battalion received a presidential unit citation in 1978 for extraordinary gallantry during their 183 days of combat.
20:41But no medals of honor were awarded.
20:43Not to rivers.
20:44Not to any member of the 761st.
20:47Not to any black soldier who served in World War II.
20:50The battalion returned to the United States in 1946.
20:54There were no parades.
20:55There were no celebrations.
20:56They were still black soldiers in a segregated army, serving a segregated nation.
21:02Many could not find jobs.
21:04Many faced violence from white civilians who resented their service.
21:07The contradiction remained.
21:09They had fought fascism abroad.
21:11They returned to Jim Crow at home.
21:14Rivers was buried in the Lorraine American Cemetery in Santa Volde, France.
21:185,000 miles from his family in Oklahoma.
21:20His sister received notification of his death.
21:23She received his silver star.
21:25She received his purple heart.
21:27She received a folded American flag.
21:30She did not receive a medal of honor.
21:32Captain Williams' recommendation was filed somewhere in the War Department bureaucracy.
21:37No investigation was conducted.
21:39No review board examined the case.
21:41The paperwork simply disappeared.
21:43This was not unusual.
21:44The military awarded 433 medals of honor for actions during World War II.
21:50Not one went to a black American soldier.
21:52Over one million black Americans served in the armed forces during the war.
21:57Zero received the nation's highest military honor.
22:00The pattern was systematic.
22:02Black soldiers who performed extraordinary acts of valor received distinguished service
22:07crosses or silver stars.
22:09White soldiers who performed similar actions received medals of honor.
22:13The disparity was documented in unit records.
22:16It was visible in award statistics.
22:18It was undeniable to anyone who examined the evidence.
22:21But nobody in authority examined the evidence.
22:24Rivers' story faded from public memory.
22:26The 761st Tank Battalion was deactivated.
22:30Veterans scattered across the country.
22:32Some wrote memoirs.
22:34Some gave interviews.
22:35Some tried to ensure their service would be remembered.
22:37Most just tried to rebuild their lives in a nation that had not wanted them to fight in
22:42the first place.
22:43Decades passed.
22:45Rivers remained in his grave in France.
22:47His Medal of Honor recommendation remained buried in military archives.
22:51His family grew older.
22:52His sisters kept his silver star and purple heart in a drawer.
22:56They told their children about Uncle Ruben, who died in the war.
22:59They did not mention that his country had refused to fully honor his sacrifice.
23:03By 1990, nearly 50 years had passed since Rivers died at Borgeltrof.
23:08Most of his fellow soldiers were dead.
23:10Most Americans had never heard of the 761st Tank Battalion.
23:15Most had never heard of Staff Sergeant Ruben Rivers.
23:18History had forgotten them.
23:19Then a professor at Shaw University began asking questions.
23:23In 1993, the United States Army commissioned Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina,
23:29to conduct a comprehensive study.
23:31The research team was tasked with determining if racial disparity existed in the Medal of
23:36Honor selection process during World War II.
23:39The Army provided access to military archives.
23:42The researchers were given authority to examine award recommendations, combat records, and unit
23:48histories.
23:49The Shaw University team spent months reviewing files.
23:52They examined every distinguished service cross awarded to black soldiers during the war.
23:57They compared those citations with Medal of Honor citations awarded to white soldiers.
24:02They analyzed the language used in recommendations.
24:05They studied the approval process.
24:07They documented the chain of command reviews.
24:09The findings were damning.
24:11The study found no explicit official documentation, stating that black soldiers should be denied Medals
24:17of Honor.
24:18But the pattern was undeniable.
24:20Black soldiers who performed extraordinary acts of valor received lower-level awards.
24:25White soldiers who performed similar or lesser actions received Medals of Honor.
24:30The disparity could not be explained by differences in combat effectiveness or heroism.
24:35The only variable was race.
24:37The study concluded that systematic racial discrimination had prevented black soldiers from receiving proper
24:43recognition.
24:44The discrimination was embedded in the military culture of the 1940s.
24:48It was reinforced by segregated units and racist attitudes among white officers.
24:53It was perpetuated by review boards that consciously or unconsciously devalued black soldiers' contributions.
25:01The research team identified 10 black soldiers whose distinguished service crosses should be upgraded
25:07to Medals of Honor.
25:08They documented each case extensively.
25:10They provided combat records.
25:13They included witness statements.
25:15They compared the actions to Medal of Honor citations awarded to white soldiers for similar
25:19conduct.
25:20The Army reviewed the Shaw University recommendations.
25:23A special board examined each case.
25:26They verified the combat records.
25:28They confirmed the witness statements.
25:30They compared the actions to established Medal of Honor standards.
25:33Seven cases met every criterion.
25:35The board recommended upgrading all seven distinguished service crosses to Medals of Honor.
25:41The seven men were Staff Sergeant Edward Carter, Jr.,
25:45First Lieutenant John Fox,
25:47Private First Class Willie James, Jr.,
25:49Staff Sergeant Ruben Rivers,
25:51First Lieutenant Charles Thomas,
25:53Private George Watson,
25:55First Lieutenant Vernon Baker.
25:57All had performed extraordinary acts of valor.
26:00All had been denied proper recognition because of their race.
26:03Six were dead.
26:04Only Vernon Baker remained alive.
26:06There was a procedural problem.
26:08Federal law established a time limit for awarding military medals.
26:12That deadline had expired decades earlier.
26:15The Army could not legally present Medals of Honor for actions in World War II without Congressional
26:20authorization.
26:21The case required legislation.
26:23In October 1996, Congress passed special legislation.
26:28The bill authorized the President to award Medals of Honor to the seven black soldiers, despite the expired time limit.
26:35Similar waivers had been granted before for other overlooked recipients.
26:39President Bill Clinton signed the legislation.
26:42A ceremony was scheduled for January 13, 1997.
26:46The Army contacted the families of the six deceased recipients.
26:50River's oldest sister was located in Oklahoma.
26:53She was 83 years old.
26:55She had kept her brother's Silver Star and Purple Heart for 52 years.
26:59She had never understood why he did not receive the Medal of Honor.
27:02Captain Williams had told her that Ruben deserved the nation's highest award.
27:07She had believed the Army would eventually recognize his sacrifice.
27:10Vernon Baker was contacted at his home in Idaho.
27:13He was 77 years old.
27:15He had served as a lieutenant in the 92nd Infantry Division in Italy.
27:19He had single-handedly destroyed multiple German positions during an assault on Castle Aginolfi in April 1945.
27:27He had been awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
27:30He had never received the Medal of Honor.
27:32He had spent 50 years wondering why.
27:35The White House prepared for the ceremony.
27:37President Clinton would personally present each medal.
27:39The families would attend.
27:41Media would cover the event.
27:43After 52 years, the nation would finally acknowledge what it had denied.
27:48Seven black soldiers would receive the recognition they had earned in combat.
27:52Six families would receive medals their loved ones never held.
27:56One survivor would finally have his valor properly honored.
27:59But the ceremony would also acknowledge something darker.
28:02It would confirm that the United States military had systematically discriminated against black soldiers.
28:07It would document that heroism had been judged by skin color.
28:11It would prove that justice had been denied for half a century.
28:15The medals would honor the recipients.
28:17They would also indict the system that had failed them.
28:19On January 12th, 1997, Vernon Baker prepared to travel to Washington.
28:25He would be the only living recipient at the ceremony.
28:28He would represent all seven men.
28:30He would accept his medal in person.
28:33He would watch as six families received medals their fathers and brothers and sons had never known they deserved.
28:39On January 13th, 1997, at 11.12 in the morning, President Bill Clinton stood in the East Room of the
28:47White House before an audience of military officials, Medal of Honor recipients, and the families of seven black soldiers.
28:54Secretary of Defense William Perry sat in the front row.
28:57Secretary of the Army Togo West was present.
29:00General John Shalakashvili, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, attended in full-dress uniform.
29:06Retired General Colin Powell sat among the guests.
29:09Vernon Baker wore his dress uniform.
29:11His chest displayed the Distinguished Service Cross, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart he had earned in Italy.
29:18He sat with the families of the six other recipients.
29:21River's sister sat with her children and grandchildren.
29:23She held a photograph of Reuben in his tank commander uniform.
29:27The photograph was 53 years old.
29:30Clinton addressed the audience.
29:31He acknowledged that the nation had made a pledge after World War II to correct cases where medals of honor
29:37were deserved, but not awarded.
29:39He stated that America was honoring that pledge today.
29:42He noted that these seven men had been prepared to sacrifice everything for freedom, even though freedom's fullness was denied
29:49to them.
29:49He said that now and forever, the truth would be known about these African Americans who gave so much that
29:56the rest of us might be free.
29:57The President called each name individually.
30:00Staff Sergeant Edward Carter Jr., First Lieutenant John Fox, Private First Class Willie James Jr., Staff Sergeant Ruben Rivers, First
30:08Lieutenant Charles Thomas, Private George Watson, First Lieutenant Vernon Baker.
30:14For each of the six deceased recipients, family members came forward to receive the medal.
30:19Clinton read the citations.
30:20He described the actions that had earned the award.
30:23He presented the medals to widows, sisters, sons, and daughters.
30:27Rivers' citation was read aloud.
30:29It documented his actions from November 16th through November 19th, 1944.
30:35It described how his tank hit a mine and his leg was slashed to the bone.
30:39It noted that he declined morphine and refused evacuation.
30:43It explained that he took command of another tank and advanced with his company.
30:47It detailed how he repeatedly refused evacuation and continued directing his tank's fire.
30:53It described the final engagement at Borgaltroth when he opened fire on enemy positions to cover his company's withdrawal.
30:59It stated that his tank was hit and he was killed while providing covering fire.
31:04Rivers' sister accepted the Medal of Honor on behalf of her brother.
31:07She was crying.
31:08Her hands shook as she held the medal.
31:11Fifty-three years earlier, she had received a telegram informing her that Ruben was dead.
31:15Fifty-three years earlier, Captain Williams had written that her brother deserved the nation's highest honor.
31:21She had waited more than half a century to see that promise fulfilled.
31:24Vernon Baker was the final recipient called.
31:27He walked to the front of the room.
31:29Clinton read Baker's citation describing his actions at Castle Aganolfi on April 5th, 1945.
31:36Baker had destroyed multiple enemy positions single-handedly while under intense fire.
31:41He had led his men through a minefield.
31:43He had demonstrated extraordinary heroism throughout 12 hours of continuous combat.
31:48Clinton presented the Medal of Honor.
31:50Baker accepted it with tears in his eyes.
31:53Baker spoke briefly after the ceremony.
31:55He said the only thing he could say to those not there with him was,
31:59Well done.
32:00He acknowledged that he and the others had been angry young men,
32:03but they had a job to do, and they did it.
32:05He said he had known things would get better, and he was glad to see it happen.
32:09Captain David Williams attended the ceremony.
32:11He was 84 years old.
32:14He had retired from the Army as a lieutenant colonel.
32:16He had submitted River's Medal of Honor recommendation on November 20th, 1944.
32:22He had believed the award would be processed quickly.
32:24He had been wrong.
32:25It had taken 52 years, 8 months, and 24 days.
32:30Williams stood when River's name was called.
32:32He saluted as the medal was presented.
32:34The ceremony ended at 12.15.
32:37Media coverage was extensive.
32:38The story appeared in newspapers across the nation.
32:41Television networks broadcast footage of the presentation.
32:44The belated recognition sparked conversations about racial discrimination in the military.
32:50Veterans organizations praised the decision.
32:52Civil rights groups noted that justice delayed was justice denied,
32:56but acknowledged that recognition was better late than never.
32:59The seven medals of honor corrected part of the historical record.
33:03They documented that black soldiers had performed with extraordinary valor during World War II.
33:08They proved that racial discrimination had prevented proper recognition.
33:12They honored men who had waited decades for acknowledgement.
33:15But they also raised uncomfortable questions.
33:18How many other black soldiers deserved recognition they never received?
33:22How many families never knew their loved ones had been denied medals they earned?
33:25Vernon Baker lived 13 more years after receiving his Medal of Honor.
33:30He became an advocate for recognizing black veterans.
33:33He spoke at schools and military ceremonies.
33:36He worked with the National World War II Museum in New Orleans.
33:39He helped develop educational programs about African-American contributions to the war effort.
33:45Baker died on July 13, 2010, at age 90.
33:50He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.
33:54The 761st Tank Battalion received its Presidential Unit Citation in 1978, 33 years after the war ended.
34:02The citation recognized their extraordinary gallantry during 183 days of continuous combat.
34:09Veterans of the battalion attended the ceremony.
34:11Most were in their 60s and 70s.
34:14Many had never received proper recognition for their service.
34:17The citation acknowledged what they had known all along.
34:20They had been among the best tank units in the European theater.
34:23On June 9, 2009, a stretch of Highway 9 running through Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, was officially named in Rivers' honor.
34:32The dedication ceremony took place 65 years after Rivers shipped out for Europe.
34:36Local officials, veterans, and family members attended.
34:40A highway sign now marks the route where Rivers grew up.
34:43Travelers passing through can see his name.
34:45Most will never know the full story of why that name appears there.
34:49Rivers remains buried at Lorraine American Cemetery in St. Evolde, France.
34:54The cemetery contains over 10,000 American graves from World War II.
34:59Rivers' headstone is marked with his name, rank, and unit.
35:02It notes his Medal of Honor.
35:04Visitors can find his grave in Plot C, Row 37, Grave 63.
35:09He lies among other soldiers who died in the liberation of France.
35:13His grave is maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission.
35:17It receives fresh flowers regularly.
35:19People still visit to pay their respects.
35:21The story of the 761st Tank Battalion has been documented in books and documentaries.
35:27Karim Abdul-Jabbar wrote Brothers in Arms about the battalion's service.
35:31The book detailed their training, combat record, and struggle for recognition.
35:35Multiple documentary films have examined their contributions.
35:39Museums across the United States feature exhibits about the Black Panthers.
35:43Their story is taught in schools as part of African American military history.
35:47The seven Medals of Honor awarded in 1997
35:50opened discussions about systematic discrimination in military awards.
35:55Researchers began examining other conflicts.
35:57In 2000, President Clinton awarded 22 Medals of Honor
36:01to Asian American veterans of World War II who had been denied recognition.
36:06In 2014, President Barack Obama presented medals to 24 veterans
36:11who had been overlooked because of race or religion.
36:14The process of correcting historical injustices continues.
36:18Rivers' sacrifice reminds us that heroism has no color.
36:21He refused evacuation three times with a shattered leg
36:24because his company needed experienced tank commanders.
36:27He fought for three days with gangrene spreading through his leg
36:31because the mission was not finished.
36:33He died providing covering fire so his fellow soldiers could withdraw safely.
36:37He did all of this while serving a nation that denied him basic civil rights.
36:42The contradiction defines his story.
36:44Rivers fought for freedom abroad while his family faced segregation at home.
36:48He commanded tanks for an army that doubted Black soldiers could operate machinery.
36:52He earned the Medal of Honor in 1944, but did not receive it until 1997.
36:58He gave everything for his country.
37:00His country took 53 years to acknowledge what he gave.
37:04Reuben Rivers gave his life for the men beside him.
37:06His country took 53 years to say thank you.
37:09If this story meant something to you, hit that like button.
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37:19We dig through old records to find stories the history books left out.
37:23Stories about soldiers who bled for a flag that would not honor them back.
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37:37Keeps these men from being forgotten.
37:39If someone in your family served, tell us.
37:41If not, just say hello.
37:44Rivers held his ground when everything told him to leave.
37:47The least we can do is make sure the world knows his name.
37:50These men fought for all of us.
37:52Help us fight for their memory.
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