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Immortal Valor: The Black Medal of Honor Winners of World War II
The remarkable story of the seven African American soldiers ultimately awarded the World War II Medal of Honor, and the 50-year campaign to deny them their recognition.
In 1945, when Congress began reviewing the record of the most conspicuous acts of courage by American soldiers during World War II, they recommended awarding the Medal of Honor to 432 recipients. Despite the fact that more than one million African-Americans served, not a single Black soldier received the Medal of Honor. The omission remained on the record for over four decades.
But recent historical investigations have brought to light some of the extraordinary acts of valor performed by black soldiers during the war. Men like Vernon Baker, who single-handedly eliminated three enemy machineguns, an observation post, and a German dugout. Or Sergeant Reuben Rivers, who spearhead his tank unit's advance against fierce German resistance for three days despite being grievously wounded. Meanwhile Lieutenant Charles Thomas led his platoon to capture a strategically vital village on the Siegfried Line in 1944 despite losing half his men and suffering a number of wounds himself.
Ultimately, in 1993 a US Army commission determined that seven men, including Baker, Rivers and Thomas, had been denied the Army's highest award simply due to racial discrimination. In 1997, more than 50 years after the war, President Clinton finally awarded the Medal of Honor to these seven heroes, sadly all but one of them posthumously.
These are their stories.
In 1945, when Congress began reviewing the record of the most conspicuous acts of courage by American soldiers during World War II, they recommended awarding the Medal of Honor to 432 recipients. Despite the fact that more than one million African-Americans served, not a single Black soldier received the Medal of Honor. The omission remained on the record for over four decades.
But recent historical investigations have brought to light some of the extraordinary acts of valor performed by black soldiers during the war. Men like Vernon Baker, who single-handedly eliminated three enemy machineguns, an observation post, and a German dugout. Or Sergeant Reuben Rivers, who spearhead his tank unit's advance against fierce German resistance for three days despite being grievously wounded. Meanwhile Lieutenant Charles Thomas led his platoon to capture a strategically vital village on the Siegfried Line in 1944 despite losing half his men and suffering a number of wounds himself.
Ultimately, in 1993 a US Army commission determined that seven men, including Baker, Rivers and Thomas, had been denied the Army's highest award simply due to racial discrimination. In 1997, more than 50 years after the war, President Clinton finally awarded the Medal of Honor to these seven heroes, sadly all but one of them posthumously.
These are their stories.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published January 11, 2022
About the author
Robert Child
39 books9 followersListen to the weekly military history podcast Point of the Spear with Robert Child and join Rob's newsletter at www.robchild.net
Award-winning author, Robert Child, is a master of action, pacing, and cinematic storytelling in his visually vivid narratives. His latest book is IMMORTAL VALOR, (Osprey, Bloomsbury Publishing, PLC) the remarkable stories of seven African American Medal of Honor winners from WWII who were denied recognition for over 50 years.
Rob possesses that rare ability to transport readers instantly into gripping, intelligent page-turning narratives that feature well-developed characters and cinematic action that jumps off the page like a major motion picture.
Military history is one of his long time passions. He has produced several films on this topic and has won more than 25 film and television awards plus an Emmy® nomination.
The military is in Rob's DNA; his Great-grandfather, Thomas W. Child, fought at Gettysburg and Fredericksburg with the 18th Massachusetts Infantry. At Gettysburg, he fought at Little Round Top on the Third Day. At Fredericksburg, Thomas was singled out for gallantry in an order issued by his commander Col. Hayes, following the battle for 'charging the stonewall at Marye's Heights twice.'
Award-winning author, Robert Child, is a master of action, pacing, and cinematic storytelling in his visually vivid narratives. His latest book is IMMORTAL VALOR, (Osprey, Bloomsbury Publishing, PLC) the remarkable stories of seven African American Medal of Honor winners from WWII who were denied recognition for over 50 years.
Rob possesses that rare ability to transport readers instantly into gripping, intelligent page-turning narratives that feature well-developed characters and cinematic action that jumps off the page like a major motion picture.
Military history is one of his long time passions. He has produced several films on this topic and has won more than 25 film and television awards plus an Emmy® nomination.
The military is in Rob's DNA; his Great-grandfather, Thomas W. Child, fought at Gettysburg and Fredericksburg with the 18th Massachusetts Infantry. At Gettysburg, he fought at Little Round Top on the Third Day. At Fredericksburg, Thomas was singled out for gallantry in an order issued by his commander Col. Hayes, following the battle for 'charging the stonewall at Marye's Heights twice.'
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 30, 2022
During WW2 432 Americans were awarded the Medal Of Honor, none of them were black. Then in 1993 a commission looked into whether this was due to racial discrimination (seems rather obvious). As a result the seven men in this book were awarded the MOH. This book is the story of their actions and heroism that led to their long overdue recognition.
February 15, 2026
This Week on History Happy Hour (podcast): “In 1945, the US Congress recommended awarding the Medal of Honor to 432 recipients. Not a single Black soldier made the list. Not Vernon Baker, who single-handedly eliminated three enemy machineguns and an observation post. Not even Lieutenant Charles Thomas, who led his platoon to capture a strategically vital village in 1944 in spite staggering losses. It took more than 50 years for the Army to honor these and other black soldiers with the Medal of Honor. In this encore episode, Chris and Rick talk with Robert Child to bout his book: Immortal Valor: The Black Medal of Honor Winners of World War II. Learn about their extraordinary heroism and explore why recognition was denied them so long.”
February 8, 2022
Screenwriter and author Robert Ford chronicle the long struggle to honor seven African American men who fought in the Second World War and due to their heroics were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously in all but one case. Bigotry, political intransigence, as well as time, denied these American Heroes the just praise of a grateful nation. The most striking story is that of Sgt. First Class Edward A. Carter the son of missionary immigrant parents fluent in four languages, English, Hindi, Mandarin as well as German he had already fought in Two Wars against Fascism when World War Two broke out. All of these men are truly men we can be proud of as Americans and hopefully, bigotry will not prevent us from honoring the heroes of the future.
December 23, 2021
A spectacular collection of biographies highlighting moments in these courageous mens’ lives. Author Robert Child sheds light on the selfless acts these heroes performed to defend a nation still not ready to respect them in turn. Great narrative style made this an amazing read. Their stories deserve to be celebrated and their names venerated.
October 12, 2024
This was an enjoyable book but difficult to stomach in places. Black soldiers were poorly treated during World War II and their specific experiences are troubling to read about. They were mostly consigned to support organizations (think supply, transportation, etc.) until things became desperate late in the war. Two examples highlight their treatment.
First, when new recruits were desperately needed, the Army issued a memo that said black soldiers would be given the “privilege” of fighting with the infantry on the front lines. If that wasn’t insulting enough, they had to accept a reduction in rank to Private (E1). One Medal of Honor recipient was a Staff Sergeant (E6). He accepted the reduction and like nearly all black soldiers performed with honor.
The second example illustrates their treatment while still training stateside. One unit was assigned to a base that also housed German Prisoners of War. The base commander treated the black soldiers worse than the POWs.
Perhaps the only ethnic group that was treated as poorly (maybe worse) were Japanese Americans.
This book highlights the lives of seven black soldiers who lived exemplary lives in the face of extreme hardship.
First, when new recruits were desperately needed, the Army issued a memo that said black soldiers would be given the “privilege” of fighting with the infantry on the front lines. If that wasn’t insulting enough, they had to accept a reduction in rank to Private (E1). One Medal of Honor recipient was a Staff Sergeant (E6). He accepted the reduction and like nearly all black soldiers performed with honor.
The second example illustrates their treatment while still training stateside. One unit was assigned to a base that also housed German Prisoners of War. The base commander treated the black soldiers worse than the POWs.
Perhaps the only ethnic group that was treated as poorly (maybe worse) were Japanese Americans.
This book highlights the lives of seven black soldiers who lived exemplary lives in the face of extreme hardship.
April 1, 2022
A series of seven short biographies about African American soldiers in WWII who were awarded the Medal of Honor by Clinton in 1997. All but one of the recipients had passed away, four in the acts that earned them the Medal of Honor. There are of course many examples of the racism that these soldiers encountered, but there are also examples of people who stood up against the status quo, and others who revised their opinions of African Americans after fighting along side them in Europe. While reading this book there were two things on my mind that I feel are relevant to todays conversation about race and history. The first is that, if it wasn't for a small handful of individuals pushing and pushing the government, it's unlikely that there would have been a review of African American service men during WWII, to discover those who deserved the Medal of Honor, but because of attitudes at the time, were denied it. There are also instances of commanders recommending soldiers for the Distinguished Service Cross, the second highest medal, instead of the Medal of Honor, because the commanding officer was aware of the racism in the system and wanted their soldiers to receive some kind of recognition of their brave actions, knew it was more likely that the army was more likely to award the Distinguished Service Cross than the Medal of Honor. There are a few exceptions of course, like the story of Ruben Rivers and David Williams. Williams believed so strongly that Rivers deserved the Medal of Honor, he continued to advocate for it's award to his surviving family from the end of the war until his request was granted in 1997. Allene Carter was also pivotal in drawing recognition to deserving African American service men, particularly that of her father-in-law, Edward Allan Carter Jr.
The second though I had was of all the people labeling any talk of race or racism as 'critical race theory', and trying to push it out of conversation in school. While claiming it teaches children to hate themselves, I honestly couldn't find anything of the sort in this book. Yes it deals with uncomfortable subjects, and there were times when I could feel myself becoming incredibly upset and frustrated at the absolutely abhorrent behavior of Caucasian American commanding officers in this book, but there were also examples of officers who tried to do the right thing, and they stood out all the more because there were so few of them. If anything, I feel like it teaches that if you know something is wrong, then do your best to stand up against it, even if it is considered 'normal' behavior for the place or time. We need to be aware of the stark discrepancies in treatment were once considered 'normal', because they did not happen that long ago, and we must pay attention and learn from these true experiences of others, to see where there are still smudges in our society that need to be cleaned up.
So to sum up, this was a great book expanding on the exceptional deeds of a few men who, except for Vernon Baker, were never recognized in their lifetimes. It also shows why we still need to have the hard conversations about racism in our society. Of course people will be uncomfortable, and you should be, that doesn't mean it's a bad thing. The fact that it took nearly half a decade for these men to receive their due means that, despite no longer seeing signs dividing places into 'black' and 'white' well still have a specter of racism hanging over our society that needs to be exorcized.
The second though I had was of all the people labeling any talk of race or racism as 'critical race theory', and trying to push it out of conversation in school. While claiming it teaches children to hate themselves, I honestly couldn't find anything of the sort in this book. Yes it deals with uncomfortable subjects, and there were times when I could feel myself becoming incredibly upset and frustrated at the absolutely abhorrent behavior of Caucasian American commanding officers in this book, but there were also examples of officers who tried to do the right thing, and they stood out all the more because there were so few of them. If anything, I feel like it teaches that if you know something is wrong, then do your best to stand up against it, even if it is considered 'normal' behavior for the place or time. We need to be aware of the stark discrepancies in treatment were once considered 'normal', because they did not happen that long ago, and we must pay attention and learn from these true experiences of others, to see where there are still smudges in our society that need to be cleaned up.
So to sum up, this was a great book expanding on the exceptional deeds of a few men who, except for Vernon Baker, were never recognized in their lifetimes. It also shows why we still need to have the hard conversations about racism in our society. Of course people will be uncomfortable, and you should be, that doesn't mean it's a bad thing. The fact that it took nearly half a decade for these men to receive their due means that, despite no longer seeing signs dividing places into 'black' and 'white' well still have a specter of racism hanging over our society that needs to be exorcized.
March 30, 2022
I really enjoyed reading this book. Having a dad of color who was also drafted out of an HBCU (NC A&T State University) in Greensboro,NC. The struggles that these men went through really resonated with me. If only all of the military was integrated all along we would not have had this concern.
Finally I wish that the late Dorie Miller could get the recognition that he so richly deserves since he did shoot down several enemy planes during the Battle of Pearl Harbor. His recognition is being ignored and I wish that President Biden and VP Harris could clear this up because the records are there. Miller did win the Navy Cross and now has an aircraft carrier named after him so this is a start.
Finally I wish that the late Dorie Miller could get the recognition that he so richly deserves since he did shoot down several enemy planes during the Battle of Pearl Harbor. His recognition is being ignored and I wish that President Biden and VP Harris could clear this up because the records are there. Miller did win the Navy Cross and now has an aircraft carrier named after him so this is a start.
March 8, 2024
4.5 Stars.
The men highlighted in the book are all true heroes. That they were "overlooked" for so long is an indictment of racism in the U.S. Even though they were treated horribly by civilians and military, the men gave their all in the fight against the Axis powers. Some gave their lives, and even that didn't get them the recognition they deserved. Their stories are riveting, but the writing is a bit uneven. Even so, I recommend the book to all who are interested in WWII, Black history, and the history of racism.
The men highlighted in the book are all true heroes. That they were "overlooked" for so long is an indictment of racism in the U.S. Even though they were treated horribly by civilians and military, the men gave their all in the fight against the Axis powers. Some gave their lives, and even that didn't get them the recognition they deserved. Their stories are riveting, but the writing is a bit uneven. Even so, I recommend the book to all who are interested in WWII, Black history, and the history of racism.
December 28, 2022
These men's stories deserved to be told, and I'm glad I read them. But they deserved a better writer. Robert Child is a filmmaker in addition to being an author and it shows in the writing with over-narration that, in my opinion, detracts from the overall quality of the book.
That said, it was an emotional read. What these men had to put up with, some sacrificing their lives, in service to a nation that did not wholly include them in its aspirational ideals is humbling.
That said, it was an emotional read. What these men had to put up with, some sacrificing their lives, in service to a nation that did not wholly include them in its aspirational ideals is humbling.
February 4, 2022
We owe it to these amazing heroes to know their stories. Their acts of selfless heroism are made all the more amazing when they are viewed against the backdrop of systematic racism that was a way of life in the army. This book does a wonderful job of letting us into the lives of these men beyond their uniforms. Their sacrifices are magnified when you know what they left behind.
January 19, 2022
A solid military history.
November 27, 2022
Great history of stories that need to be told.
February 21, 2026
I don’t typically read about history so this is out of my comfort zone. The history that I was taught in school was “whitewashed” and stories like these were hidden from me. If I learned more stories and people like these men featured in the book, I would’ve enjoyed history way more. This is not an easy read at all. There were times in this book that I felt devastated for these men and quite frankly, other soldiers who served in the military for a country that seen these men as less than. Very gruesome physically and mentally for these men to have these unfortunate experiences in their lives. I was at a loss for words at times, other times I had to put the book down to gather my thoughts and compose myself. So heartbreaking and these men (plus their families) deserved so much better than what they got. Great read! Hidden gem! Black History.
June 27, 2024
This book is a moving tribute to the skilled, courageous, and tough African American men who fought for the United States in WWII and earned the Medal of Honor. Robert Child talks about the struggle of growing up Black during the Great Depression, the effort by Black Americans to get into combat (in early stages of the war, they were generally relegated to support roles rather than the front line), and then the struggle to see that they received the recognition they deserved for their heroic actions. But it's the accounts of their individual actions on the battlefield that are really important. These men risked their lives again and again, they fought on while desperately wounded, they put their own lives in jeopardy to save others.
June 3, 2023
A book about seven men who were long overdue to be recognized for their service and sacrifice. These stories just touch on what these men did during the course of battle and how our government in 1993 decided to look into the cases for any African American soldiers who should be awarded the Medal of Honor. I found this to be a very good book. I received this book from Netgalley.com
February 5, 2025
This author does a fantastic job of depicting the pre-war, war, and post war lives of the seven heroes profiled. Each man fought to earn the right to even be in the war, then demonstrated awe inspiring valor. Those who made it home then faced devastating racism from the country they had just fought to save. Each story is incredible. The author does a great job describing the war scenes so the reader can easily form as clear picture of the scene and the epic obstacles therein. A very eye- opening book.
July 23, 2024
For everyone who has served in combat, read this book only if you are strong. It will tear at you and make you cry with admiration for the warriors depicted in this book and ashamed of the prejudice that was inflicted on them. God bless their souls.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews