About the Author

KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR, six-time NBA Most Valuable Player, is the author of the New York Times bestseller Giant Steps, as well as Kareem and A Season on the Reservation. ANTHONY WALTON is the author of the critically acclaimed memoir Mississippi, as well as the coauthor of Reverend Al Sharpton’s book Go and Tell the Pharoah.

Reviews

“An absorbing chronicle of the little-recognized all-black tank unit.”—The New York Times

“A carefully researched and engrossing account that paints the individual dramas of the tankmen against the backdrop of the war . . . A fine tribute to these unsung heroes and a valuable addition to the literature on African American service in World War II.” —Washington Post Book World

More than a combat story or a segregated version of Stephen Ambrose's Band of Brothers. It's also the story of how black soldiers had to fight (literally and figuratively) for the right to fight the Germans.” —USA Today

“A wholly different perspective on the ‘greatest generation.’” —People (Critic's Choice)

“A brilliant and moving narrative that through its imagery helps the reader appreciate the hardness of battle.” —Charlotte Observer

“A slam dunk . . . Well written, well researched and an excellent read . . . Abdul-Jabbar does an incredible job of weaving [the personal stories] into the context of the war as it unfolded.” —Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

“A touching profile of men who fought overt and subtle racism for the chance to prove their mettle, and a poignant reminder of the unreasonable prejudices of that era that almost kept them on the sidelines.” —Sacramento Bee

“An inspirational, moving account of courage and comradeship on the part of exceptional men.” —Military History

“Not only an exciting, informative military history for the general reader but also a revealing and moving record of racism in America’s past.” —Houston Chronicle

The six-time NBA most valuable player teams up with Mississippi author Walton, who coauthored Al Sharpton's Go and Tell Pharaoh. Their chronicle of Patton's Third Army stalwarts takes in the all-black tank battalion's 183 days on the front lines of the Battle of the Bulge, with casualty rates of almost 50%, an almost impossible supply situation, sometimes inept leadership and chronic racism that inflected nearly every move they made. The third-person narrative reflects the intimacy Jabbar has with Leonard "Smitty" Smith, the loader on a 761st tank crew, with episodes and anecdotes that feel immediate and a wealth of visual and tactical detail about what it was like to work, and often live, on the inside of a tank. The authors widen the scope repeatedly to give a nuanced account of the 676 enlisted men and 36 officers of the battalion and its place in the Third Army. While it will leave aficionados satisfied, this is military history that will prove compelling to anyone with an interest in black men's experience during the 20th century. The group's liberation of Mauthausen concentration camp is covered in a few pages, but its heroism is on display throughout. 6-city author tour. Jabbar's agent: Frank Weimann at The Literary Group; Walton's agent: Sloan Harris at ICM. (On sale May 4) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

"An absorbing chronicle of the little-recognized all-black tank unit."-The New York Times

"A carefully researched and engrossing account that paints the individual dramas of the tankmen against the backdrop of the war . . . A fine tribute to these unsung heroes and a valuable addition to the literature on African American service in World War II." -Washington Post Book World

More than a combat story or a segregated version of Stephen Ambrose's Band of Brothers. It's also the story of how black soldiers had to fight (literally and figuratively) for the right to fight the Germans." -USA Today

"A wholly different perspective on the 'greatest generation.'" -People (Critic's Choice)

"A brilliant and moving narrative that through its imagery helps the reader appreciate the hardness of battle." -Charlotte Observer

"A slam dunk . . . Well written, well researched and an excellent read . . . Abdul-Jabbar does an incredible job of weaving [the personal stories] into the context of the war as it unfolded." -Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"A touching profile of men who fought overt and subtle racism for the chance to prove their mettle, and a poignant reminder of the unreasonable prejudices of that era that almost kept them on the sidelines." -Sacramento Bee

"An inspirational, moving account of courage and comradeship on the part of exceptional men." -Military History

"Not only an exciting, informative military history for the general reader but also a revealing and moving record of racism in America's past." -Houston Chronicle