{"product_id":"immortal-valor-the-black-medal-of-honor-recipients-of-world-war-ii-9781472852847","title":"Immortal Valor: The Black Medal of Honor Recipients of World War II","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe remarkable story of seven African-American soldiers \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003edenied the Medal of Honor for more than 50 years due to their race, \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eand their extraordinary acts of bravery.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e 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. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eBut 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 machine guns, an observation post, and a German dugout. Or Sergeant Reuben Rivers, who spearheaded 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. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eUltimately, 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. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThese are their stories.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eRobert Child\u003c\/b\u003e is a military history writer, director, and published author with Penguin\/Random House. Besides his book, \u003ci\u003eThe Lost Eleven\u003c\/i\u003e, co-authored with Denise George, he has published nine other nonfiction military history titles and military thrillers over the last eight years. The film rights to \u003ci\u003eThe Lost Eleven \u003c\/i\u003ehave been acquired. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eRobert has garnered more than 26 writing and directing awards including an Emmy(R) nomination and is one of only a handful of writer\/directors whose work has been screened in the United States Congress. He lives in Atlanta.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Osprey Publishing (UK)","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50509001851154,"sku":"9781472852847","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_29077ec0-6c2e-4ff3-80e6-4316f347f5b0.jpg?v=1730885090","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/immortal-valor-the-black-medal-of-honor-recipients-of-world-war-ii-9781472852847","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}