[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 138 (Monday, September 30, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1876]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




[[Page E1876]]



           TRIBUTE TO THE 761ST BLACK PANTHER TANK BATTALION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JOHN CONYERS, JR.

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 30, 1996

  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the 761st 
Black Panther Tank Battalion. These World War II veterans were the 
first of three African-American tank battalions to go into combat. 
These men fought with courage and honor; we should remember them as the 
heroes that they are.
  The 761st Tank Battalion trained at Camp Hood, TX. Gen. George 
Patton, Jr., commander of the Third Army, requested their service in 
World War II, as the general ordered only the best troops for his 
division.
  ``Come out Fighting'', the 761st's motto, was certainly appropriate. 
The Black Panther Tank Battalion participated in four allied campaigns 
through six European countries. The Battle of the Bulge was among the 
many battles in which they fought. The 761st Tank Battalion fought for 
183 consecutive days during World War II when most tank battalions only 
fought for 10 to 15 days at a time.
  Let us remember these unsung heroes. In 1978, the 761st Tank 
Battalion received the Presidential Unit Citation. However, it took 33 
years for the veterans to achieve this award. I was privileged to 
assist the battalion in gaining this important recognition.
  On August 23, 1996, Fort Hood, TX broke ground for the 761st Tank 
Battalion Monument. Ms. Beverly Taylor worked for several years to make 
this memorial a reality. History books have traditionally overlooked 
African-American veterans' contributions to the wars in which the 
United States participated. The 761st Tank Battalion Monument is a 
positive step towards the acknowledgment that these veterans deserve. 
The Nation has benefitted greatly from the efforts made by these 
champions, the likeness of which many people do not even know. We must 
continue to work to make sure that the 761st Black Panther Tank 
achieves their rightful place in American history.

                          ____________________