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Q: Little Battle of the Bulge ( Answered 4 out of 5 stars,   1 Comment )
Question  
Subject: Little Battle of the Bulge
Category: Miscellaneous
Asked by: snow0906-ga
List Price: $10.00
Posted: 12 Sep 2002 06:40 PDT
Expires: 12 Oct 2002 06:40 PDT
Question ID: 64248
I would like to know about the Buffalo Soldiers (92nd Divison) and the
Battle of the Bulge......or as it was referred to the "Little Battle of the
Bulge" that took place in the hills of Tuscany, Italy
Answer  
Subject: Re: Little Battle of the Bulge
Answered By: morningstar2000-ga on 12 Sep 2002 11:49 PDT
Rated:4 out of 5 stars
 
Dear Snow – 
    
        I am glad you asked the question about the Buffalo Soldiers
and the Battle of the bulge.

	The Battle of the Bulge was fought in late Dec 1944 and ended in
January of 1945.   The Nazi forces surged and broke through making a
50mile bulge in the allied line around Belgium and Luxembourg.   In a
desperate attempt to replenish military forces the United States
enlisted and sent 2500 African American soldiers.  These quickly
formed platoons were sent into the First Army’s counterattack.   These
men formed the famous 761st Tank Battalion.     They spent 183
consecutive days in battle and earned the Presidential Unit Citation.

Taken from John P. Schmal, African-American contributions to American
life:
 	“According to Colonel John R. Ackor, these hastily-assembled
platoons of African-American soldiers "performed in an excellent
manner at all times while in combat. These men were courageous
fighters and never once did they fail to accomplish their assigned
mission."”

  Overall during World War II there were 500,000 African Americans
stationed overseas.
	The all African American 92nd Infantry was in Italy.   616 were
reported killed in battle while another 2187 were wounded in battle.
	The 93rd Division was stationed in the South Pacific, losing 17 in
battle with another 1212 wounded.
	There was also a 366th Infantry.   The death and wounded toll was not
available.
	Three all African American air units: 332nd Fighter Group, 477th
Bombardment Group and the 99th Fighter Squadron.  66 African American
pilots were killed in battle.

	Of the African Americans serving during World War II
		140,000 were in the Army Air Forces
		150,000 were in the Navy
		12,000 were enlisted in the Marines

	Specifically the 92nd Division serving in Italy faced much hardship. 
 Not only were the troops working in the Northern Apennines Mountains
but the Germans had erected a earthen and concrete fortification known
as the “Gothic Line”.      At the end of the campaign the 92nd
Division had roughly 3000 Buffalo Soldiers killed, captured, wounded
or missing in action.   To their credit they receive nearly 21, 000
decorations and citations for their gallantry in combat.

	I have listed the National Museum if you are interested in more
detailed stories.  Also in the additional sources there is a
documentary on the Battle of the Bulge Campaign though I believe it
deals not with the African American Soldiers (Buffalo Soldiers) but
rather the campaign as a whole.

Buffalo Soldiers National Museum
1834 Southmore
Houston, TX 77004 USA
Email: buffalo@buffalosoldiermuseum.com
713-942-8920
Fax: 713-942-8912

Additional Sources:

James McBride
http://jamesmcbride.com/info_about.htm

Member of the Association of the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge
http://home.planet.nl/~wijer037/Introduction.html

John P. Schmal, African-American contributions to American life
http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/45a/311.html

Buffalo Soldiers National Museum
http://www.buffalosoldiermuseum.com/History.html

American Experience | Battle of the Bulge
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/bulge/

Search Strategy: 
   Buffalo Soldiers battle of the bulge
   Buffalo Soldiers 92nd Division
   Albert Kesseiring Gothic Line
   
Thanks for the history lesson, 
morningstar
snow0906-ga rated this answer:4 out of 5 stars
Thank you for all your help....the info you provided me with I could not 
have gotten on my own.....good job!!

Comments  
Subject: Re: Little Battle of the Bulge
From: justaskscott-ga on 12 Sep 2002 13:37 PDT
 
snow0906-ga -

With all due respect to morningstar2000-ga's research with respect to
the Battle of the Budge and the Buffalo Soldiers, I believe that this
answer is incorrect.

You asked about the Little Battle of the Budge, fought in Tuscany, not
the Battle of the Budge, fought in Belgium and Luxembourg.

I did research into an answer about the Little Battle of the Bulge. 
However, I see that you accidentally posted the question twice, and
that websearcher-ga has already answered the first posting.

https://answers.google.com/answers/main?cmd=threadview&id=64243

It appears that websearcher-ga's answer is correct, and that you do
not need further information.

- justaskscott-ga

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