They have been called "One of the most effective tank battalions in World War II." The 761st tank battalion – known as The Black Panthers, for the head of the panther on their insignia patch – landed on Omaha beach on October 10, 1944. They were requested by General George Patton to be part of his 3rd Army Division in the 26th Infantry Division.
Their unit consisted of 30 black officers, six white officers, and 676 black enlisted men. Their motto was “Come out fighting”, and that’s how they began on November 7, 1944 in several French towns. The battle in Morville-les-vic was particularly brutal with the employment lasting 183 days; most units only served one to two weeks at a time on the front line.
In November alone The Black Panthers suffered 156 casualties; 24 men killed, 81 wounded, and 44 non-battle losses. The unit also lost 14 tanks evacuated and another 20 damaged in combat. In December, they moved on to support the 101st Airborne Division in Bastogne. Then, they supported the 87th Infantry Division and took over the city in a two-day attack from the 113th Panzer Brigade with just 11 tanks.
They moved onto Germany after the Battle of the Bulge, where they breached the Siegfried Line opening the way for the 4th Armored Division. The Black Panthers moved through Germany rapidly, finally meeting the 1st Ukrainian Front of the Soviet Red Army at the Enns River in Steyr, Austria. On May 4, 1945, the 761st and the 71st Infantry Division liberated the Gunskirchen concentration camp.
The Black Panthers did “come out fighting”, and for their efforts they received a Presidential Unit Citation for its actions. A large number of individual members also received medals, including one Medal of Honor and seven posthumously, 11 Silver Stars, 69 Bronze Stars, and about 300 Purple Hearts.