Jon Chavous, Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk Operations Group, was one of the guest speakers at the commemoration. The men of the 761st proved their courage and tenacity during the 183 days of continual fighting. Nicknamed the Black Panthers, the 761st were part of the first Black armored unit to enter combat during the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944. Army didn’t desegregate until after WWII. They were separate because the 761st was made up primarily of Black Soldiers, who by War Department policy were not permitted to serve alongside white troops. The battalion, founded in 1942, was a separate tank battalion of the United States Army during World War II. On this gray, cold and wet Louisiana day, the event shined a light on the heroics and integrity of these Army Soldiers. The Kisatchie National Forest hosted a commemoration ceremony honoring the 761st Tank Battalion at the Southern Forest Heritage Museum, Planner Mill, Feb. (Photo Credit: Angie Thorne) VIEW ORIGINALįORT POLK, La. ![]() Jon Chavous, Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk Operations Group unveil, the monument. (Photo Credit: Angie Thorne) VIEW ORIGINAL 2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption –Ĭlinton Warren, an Army veteran (left), began the process of getting the monument to the 761st started. Jon Chavous, Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk Operations Group, is one of the guest speakers at the Kisatchie National Forest ceremony celebrating the 761st Tank Battalion.
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