Brothers in Arms: The Epic Story of the 761st Tank Battalion, WWII's Forgotten Heroes

Enjoyed hearing the taped version of BROTHERS IN ARMS by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Anthony Walton, the true story of the 761st tank battalion--a group of black soldiers who have been mostly forgotten by history. The two authors got a great deal of their information by interviewing surviving members of the battalion . . . they used it to present a moving narrative of men who were never intended to see battle, having originally been brought together as a public relations gesture to maintain the support of the black community for the war. However, when the Allies became so desperate for trained tank personnel in the summer of 1944, following heavy casualties in France, the battalion was called up . . . and then distinguished itself in combat despite a high casualty rate that approached 50 percent. The accounts of war were harrowing; even more so were tales of racism faced by the soldiers--both when in the service and afterwards ... yet throughout their lives, they managed to exhibit bravery on the battlefield and a quiet dignity upon returning to civilian existence. The narration by Peter Francis Jones was excellent . . . in addition, I liked the exclusive interviews (in the cassette tape program) with two members of the 761st tank battalion.

Typically, I am not a fan of non-fiction, let alone historical documentaries. Yet BROTHERS IN ARMS is definitely a book that convincingly swayed my opinion. Highlighting the trials and tribulations of the 761st Tank Battalion, which was a unit of colored soldiers never meant to face battle, this book does an excellent job documenting their joys, sorrows and memories. The book revolves around Leonard Smith, a family friend of Abdul-Jabbar and an original member of the 761st. Although the racial cloud of inequity followed the unit throughout their military careers, they were involved in successfully defending many areas of the European theatre. Originally assembled only to gain the continued support of the Black community during the tenuous times of WWII, the 761st was called into action due to the severe causalities suffered by the Allies. The Battalion successfully defended the European theatre during many crucial battles. This included the Battle of the Bulge in 1944 under the direction of General Patton. BROTHERS IN ARMS is a captivating literary work that paints a vivid picture of how life was for the Black soldiers. It is not overloaded on details or military jargon that would prevent the average reader from comprehending its historical accounts. If I could offer one suggestion, it would be to have maps included which depict the areas of battle. For anyone interested in learning more about WWII and the challenges experienced by its Black soldiers in the throes of racial injustice, then I'd definitely recommend BROTHERS IN ARMS. Reviewed by Nedine of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

I loved this book. The men of the 761st put 2,000 miles on their tanks over 183 days while in combat. After the war these men came home to an America that would not let them vote, get access to good jobs or even acknowledge their accomplishments during the war. As I read the book I hoped that some producer would film this story like the "Band of Brothers" HBO series.

I have been a WWII buff since I was in middle school. I was always fascinated by that war and its historical importance. As an African American, I was equally fascinated by the role that Blacks played in this war. My interest was tweaked even further when I discovered that I had two uncles who served overseas in WWII (but not in combat). I have read many books on WWII including several by the famed historian Stephen Ambrose. I would put this book right up there with the best of them. This book does a marvelous job in weaving together interesting facts about the US Army during WWII, the training the 761st received, the dire circumstances under which they served with intriguing anecdotes such as the court martial of Jackie Robinson and the relationship with Gen. Patton. I agree with the criticism of some other commenters that the book would have been well served with more maps and diagrams explaining the action that is described. And yes, some of the facts are incorrect. However, not being an historian, most of those incorrect facts went over my head. Overall, I felt the book was well written and well put together.

I am a former Armor officer and was eagerly awaiting this book. The author has written a well balanced account of life as a black tanker during World War II. He goes into detail showing the differences in their training compared to white soldiers and the racism they encountered. For all the humiliation they suffered in the USA, they didn't let it get them down and soldiered on when called to fight. The battle accounts are detailed and the focus is in the soldiers and not the equipment. The only "flaw" in the book is it does not have any maps. It was kind of hard following the route of the 761st as they fought through Europe. Some of the towns I have heard of and others I didnt have a clue. Maps would have helped. But overall this book is an easy read and easy to understand and a well written account of the 761st Tank Battalion.