The 761st Tank Battalion — The Original Black Panthers
The 761st Tank Battalion was one of the most powerful but overlooked fighting units of World War 2. Known as the Black Panthers, they were an African American armored battalion in a segregated U.S. Army trained to fight for a country that still denied them full equality at home.
Their motto was simple and direct: “Come Out Fighting.”
The 761st was activated in 1942 and trained in the United States before being sent to Europe. In October 1944, they arrived in France, and on November 7, 1944, they entered combat near Morville-lès-Vic. From that moment forward, they proved their discipline, courage, and skill under fire. The National WWII Museum notes that the battalion entered combat on November 7, 1944, and fought through brutal conditions in northern France.
They fought with General George Patton’s Third Army and took part in major operations across France, Belgium, and Germany. The National Park Service describes the 761st as the “original Black Panthers” and records that they endured 183 straight days in combat and helped liberate 30 towns during their drive into Germany.
Their service came with sacrifice. They fought in the Battle of the Bulge, helped break through German defenses, and pushed deep into enemy territory. Staff Sergeant Ruben Rivers became one of the battalion’s most honored heroes; he was later awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary courage.
The 761st also helped expose the contradiction of America’s war effort. Black soldiers were sent to fight fascism overseas while Jim Crow segregation ruled at home. They fought two battles at once: one against Nazi Germany, and one against racism inside their own nation.
For decades, their story was not given the attention it deserved. But history could not erase them. In 1978, the 761st Tank Battalion received the Presidential Unit Citation, recognizing their courage, professionalism, fighting spirit, and devotion to duty.
The true story of the 761st is not just about tanks. It is about Black excellence under fire. It is about soldiers who carried the burden of discrimination and still performed with honor. It is about men who proved that courage has no color and that freedom abroad meant nothing without justice at home.

THE 761ST TANK BATTALION
The Original Black Panthers of World War 2
The 761st Tank Battalion was an African American armored unit that fought in Europe during World War II. Nicknamed the Black Panthers, they served in a segregated U.S. Army and carried the motto “Come Out Fighting.”
They entered combat in France in November 1944 and fought through some of the hardest campaigns of the war, including the Battle of the Bulge and the advance into Germany. Their courage helped liberate towns, break enemy defenses, and prove the power of Black military excellence.

The 761st Tank Battalion fought Nazi Germany overseas while challenging racism at home. Known as the original Black Panthers, they endured 183 days of combat and left a legacy of courage, discipline, and victory.
In Closing
They came out fighting — and history could not hold them back.