"US 41st Armoured Infantry Regiment WW2?" Topic

Does anyone know if the 41st Armoured Infantry Regiment, which was the infantry component of 2nd AD a coloured unit? I know the original regiment was when raised during the US civil war, but didn't think they were in WW2, but someone I was chatting to online suggested they were. Can't find a definitive answer googling and not aware of any resource which list the coloured US units in WW2. Thanks.

Wikipedia article says that the 41st (Colored) Inf merged with the 38th (Colored) Inf to form the 24th (Colored) Inf Reg in 1869 and that it has no connection with the current 41st Inf Reg.

Yes, to my knowledge, Colored US Army unit number designations may be the same just as another all white unit. But they are separate.

But fortunately unit segregation ended decades ago. As we know there were many segregated colored units that served with distinction, in all of the US's Wars. Before there was no race difference in units. After Korea, IIRC. All unit race/color(s) then were just "OD Green" …

Blame Woodrow Wilson for halting the on-going integration of the Army, and re-segregating it. Racist scum.

After Korea, IIRC. All unit race/color(s) then were just "OD Green" …

Desegregation was ordered by Pres.Truman in 1947.

Ordered 1948, not started by the army until 1951, completed by the end of 1954.

My "top" in Vietnam started off in a segregated armor unit in 52 or 53. I knew about that but it was still stunning to meet someone who had lived through it. Winston's opinion about WW is spot on in my mind. He may have wanted the world to share a coke but he sure as hell didn't want to share the bottle. Rant concluded. Mea Culpa. H

I had a co-worker in the early 90s that said he was a white officer in a black artillery unit in Korea.

The truly frightening thing was he couldn't read a map to save his life. Must have made artillery strikes an adventure.

The only Army African-American combat regiments were in the segregated 92nd (Italy) and 93rd Infantry (South Pacific) Divisions. To my knowledge, the other African-American combat units were separate battalions such as armor, tank destroyer, field artillery, and antiaircraft artillery.

Towards the end of the European fighting, the Army was so short of infantry that black infantry platoons were incorporated into formerly all-white companies.

Jim

not started by the army until 1951, completed by the end of 1954.

Yes, that is what I though, sometime after the Korean War. As I remember, there was an all black Ranger Co., IIRC, the 8th was activated during the Korean War, '50-'53 …

ColCampbell, I remember reading about all that you posted. And we can't forget the great service the Red Ball Express did during WWII in ETO. As well as a number of all black formations during WWII. E.g the 555th PIR, an all black Airborne unit. But IIRC they never were deployed outside CONUS.

Plus the "Harlem Hellfighters" in WWI, who spent most of their time attached to the French Army. Where they were welcomed and their performance was exemplary … but very costly.

I didn't realize that the regimental designations were doubled up between white and colored regiments. I guess you learn something new every day.

<break>

Why must everything be about pontificating and politics?! This was a simple historical questions. The answer didn't require opinions about Wilson, segregation, etc. Everyone hates Americans, especially Americans. I think we can acknowledge things we did wrong in the past and learn from them without rants. Wilson is no my favorite president either, I am pretty tired of people picking out one or two things that a person did wrong and using that to characterize their entire existence. It won't be long before people are tearing down statues of George Washington. We are the only country in the world that intentionally tries to erase all the positive things about our own history and culture. Sick of it!!!

Thanks for the help some useful information.

Buck.
I too am sick of "tearing down George Washington".
So much that I want to dish it right back to Woodrow Wilson, the hero and darling of "progressives".
In a thread about segregated Army units, it is indeed appropriate to point out how Wilson was responsible for perpetuating this segregation.

That is another thing I like about modern DNA testing. E.g. saw a news piece where it talked to Thomas Jefferson's current relatives. Both white & black, and they get together often. Whether some like it or not we are more alike than otherwise. Even in my DNA I'm about 7% North African.

We all bleed the same color.

B