As combating raged in Europe throughout World War II, members of the 761st tank battalion, comprised primarily of all-black teams of troopers, first needed to battle stereotypes.
The navy was segregated and a few leaders had reservations about utilizing African American troopers in fight.
“It was considered kind of an experiment at the time, kind of like the Tuskegee Airmen,” historian and writer Art Burton mentioned.
After coaching longer than every other tank battalion, two years in contrast to some months for white troopers, the Black Panthers lastly bought an opportunity to battle the Nazis and show naysayers flawed.
“Some people believed African Americans didn’t have the intelligence to be good tankers,” Burton said.
Art Burton has studied African American history extensively. He said military leaders, skeptical of the Black Panthers ability to fight, didn’t want to send them, but General George Patton needed them.
After arriving in Normandy in October of 1944, the Black Panthers would go through 183 straight days of combat, liberating 30 towns on their way toward Germany.
The first African American tankers to see combat took part in campaigns through six countries.
“They had been able to battle, they had been able to battle the Germans and once they despatched them over they proved their mettle,” Burton said.
One of the men who proved his mettle is Staff Sergeant Ruben Rivers from Tecumseh, Oklahoma.
“I feel Ruben Rivers is a real American hero of World War II and I feel Oklahomans might be happy with what he did, his service to his nation,” Burton said.
As the 761st pushed through Eastern France toward Germany, Rivers’ tank hit a mine, shrapnel slashed his leg to the bone. Rivers refused to evacuate.
News On 6 interviewed David Williams, Rivers’ commanding officer in 1996.
“So I attempted to offer him morphine,” Williams recalled. “Ray tried to give him morphine. And he pushed our hands away. He said, ‘Captain, this is gonna be bad. You gonna need me. Couple of days won’t make any difference.'”
Instead, Rivers took command of another tank, and advanced with his company to keep fighting. The next day, as his fellow Black Panthers pulled back to take cover under heavy fire from a German anti-tank unit, Rivers covered their withdrawal.
“He had no fear,” Burton mentioned. “He was able to die for what he was making an attempt to do.”
Rivers was killed when his tank took a direct hit from two high powered artillery shells. He’s buried at the American Cemetery in Lorrain, France.
Because of his heroic actions in France, Rivers’ Captain nominated him for the Medal of Honor, but it would take nearly 50 years for it to be awarded.
In 1997, President Bill Clinton awarded the Medal of Honor to Rivers and other African American soldiers from World War II overlooked for the award.
The president said Rivers’ fighting spirit and daring leadership were an inspiration to his unit.
Burton said Rivers should be an inspiration to all Oklahomans.
“They ought to keep in mind him every time they keep in mind the veterans of Oklahoma that Ruben Rivers was proper there on the prime of the heap by way of being courageous, and combating for his nation,” Burton mentioned.
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