Elite African American Troops in WWII Osprey Books

Despite the contribution of black units to the American Expeditionary Force in World War I, and the commissioning of hundreds of black officers to lead them, the small interwar US Army continued to regard them as unsuited to both leadership roles and handling modern technology. Although African Americans had to strive against prejudice for every chance to show what they could achieve, in fact the wartime US Army conceded opportunities for leadership unparalleled in American civil society at that date. In World War II many tens of thousands served in segregated units; while the majority were denied the opportunity of combat, a minority of all-black, black-officered units proved their worth in all theaters and a number of roles: black officer fighter pilots (the 'Tuskegee Airmen') blazed the trail, followed by several tank and tank-destroyer battalions and a few field artillery units. The Army also created the first fully integrated units, whose success prompted President Truman to order the complete integration of the military in 1948. Fully illustrated with poignant photographs and especially commissioned artwork, this book will depict the variety of key roles that African Americans played from fighter pilots to tank crews to grunts on the ground in every combat theatre from Europe to the Pacific. Elite 158 African American Troops in World War II is a concise history of the service records and combat experience of the African American troops who rose above discrimination to fight for the Allied cause and paved the way for integrated armed forces.