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

I loved the meticulous detail of this book. As a Vietnam Era veteran, I am grateful that soldiers of all races and genders are finally receiving the accolades that should have been given long ago.

This book is amazing !! I have learned so much about WW II, some of it very very sad. The abuse some of the members of WWII is shameful. 761st fought and defended our country with every fiber of their being and were treated like shit. What Paton did to those men was deplorable. He should have been court marsheled.

Well written piece about WW II

Who knew Kareem Abdul Jabbar was an author? He's a pretty good one judging by this lively tale of the 761st Tank Battalion, one of the few black military organizations our side allowed to actually fight the enemy in World War II (as opposed to the vast majority of black American soldiers who were in service and support units)The authors do a good job of introducing a couple of key characters who guide the story line as it moves from training to waiting to finally fighting. We get to know a few individuals and they are differentiated well.That the better angels of our nature have often been lacking is well demonstrated here. The racism and degradation faced by these brave soldiers while training in the United States and in fighting alongside white infantry is just heart breaking (though after facing the Germans together, the battalion earned respect and a spirit of camaraderie from infantry they worked with - and from General Patton and many of their senior officers) . Almost all of the tankers were volunteers who believed in the promise of our country. Their optimism and resilience in the face of the treatment and sometimes violence they encountered is remarkable.This is mostly a war diary and an interesting one. Introduced into combat in November of 1944, the battalion had somewhere around 180 days of combat with brief respite. Facing German forces, including superior armor, the 761st did their duty and did it well. Their hard fighting included participation in Patton's relief of Bastogne, assaults on many fortified positions and contact with concentration camps.A good World War II story underscoring that while the "Greatest Generation" was great in many ways, they were far from great in their general lack of embrace and equal treatment toward all of us.

Not just another WWII story but one of heroes who suffered beyond the battlefield. A required read of military history.

While unsure of the authors competence in history I was very very pleased with the book and it's compelling history of the Armor Unit, They fought bravely and with distinction and still had to deal with the blatant bigotry of the time. Those hero's deserved better both in support at the time of the war but also after returning from it. They paved the way for future generations of Soldiers in the Army and I am one who is grateful for their actions. I sincerely recommend the book to anyone who has an interest in the conflict and the dismal race relation of the time. We have come so far and still have a ways to go. As an Armor Officer, (Ltc ret) I think the book should be on the Command and General Staff College reading list as well as on every Army branch Officers and NCO school for leadership reading list.

This is a fantastic history lesson for all Americans. Thank you Kareem for bringing this story to life. I am a history buff and have watched many documentaries on WW2 but for some reason in mentioning the battles, the Black Tank Battalion was never mentioned. The dedication and long hours of training hoping to get into action to prove their "citizenship", and actually being in action and still discriminated against, these soldiers are TRUE HEROES. This is the best accidental book I ever came across. I was visiting the Palm Springs Air Museum and on one of the story boards on display, the 761st story by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is mentioned. I immediately looked up the title on Amazon, bought and downloaded while finishing up my tour. A couple of other stories about Blacks in the military during WW2: Port Chicago 50, and On American Soil, ranked right up at the top of my list along side Brothers in Arms. Thanks again Kareem.

The psychology of racism never ceases to amaze. Even men of monumental stature can be so immature into allowing their latent racism surface in unnecessary moments. The common notion is that top military men didn't believe that black men had the mental capabilities to perform satisfactory in modern warfare. I always highly suspected that this "belief" was just pure racism. Even the most narrow minded person knows that there are black men with abilities and virtues that far exceed the average Opie.This work gives the reader a rare look at the valor displayed by the 761st tank battalion. An all black unit of skilled tankers who earned the respect of their commanders and commanders of other units whom they supported.There are a few errors such as the chronically incorrect dating of Patton's early years and the translation of Panzer. There are far more important subjects and issues within this piece that dwelling over those kind of errors I deem unimportant.5 stars

Fantastic a must read

dam awesome book a must read if your like true historical books

Nicely written, with not too much harping on about racial injustice, a nice read well researched, good stuff.

Very well written. Who would have guessed that a former NBA player would be such a nice writter?