Uncovering the history of Black American soldiers during the Second World War, one unit at a time!

Read about some of the projects I'm currently working on or thoughts that I wanted to share. Currently I am working on a book about the 777th Field Artillery Battalion.

No Accusation Does Not Equal Innocence: Rethinking the German Soldier in WWII

In public memory, a dangerous myth continues to resurface: “If a German soldier wasn’t accused of a war crime, he didn’t commit one.” This belief, whether stated outright or implied, obscures the uncomfortable truth of how the Nazi war machine and Nazi state functioned. While not every German soldier participated directly in atrocities, the absence of a war crimes charge does not automatically indicate innocence. In fact, most perpetrators of Nazi violence were never prosecuted, despite widespread complicity. Let’s explore why that is, and why it matters.

Free Speech or Historical Revisionism? Analyzing Alessandro Pepe's explanation and the historical implications

In recent years, discussions around free speech and historical memory have become increasingly polarizing. A speech given by Alessandro Pepe, who goes by the name Alexx Hermánn now, associated with the 2016 film My Honor Was Loyalty, brings these issues to the forefront. Previously I wrote about Alessandro Pepe / Alexx Hermánn and how his work romanticize the myth of the Waffen-SS [here](https://www.samueldekorte.com/articles/my-honor-was-loyalty) and how he distorted the Allied bombings in Germany to evoke sympathy for the German soldiers [here](https://www.samueldekorte.com/articles/allied-air-assaults). The speech is taken from the beginning of the short movie You've Shed Blood, which details a battle between Italian partisans and the German Wehrmacht.

What is a Historical Fact? The Complex Truth About Presenting History.

When reading a history book, people are presented with history and historical facts. However, is there such a thing as a truly objective historical fact? At first glance, a sentence describing an artillery gun’s specifications seems purely factual. But upon closer inspection, even this simple statement is influenced by the societies, history, and cultures that created it. A historical fact is never just a historical fact, it’s a cultural construct that says something about the historical past. A cultural construct refers to the way in which societies shape and define concept. Let’s explore this concept by analyzing two seemingly straightforward statements about antitank guns from World War II!

Patton’s Wheels: The Unsung Heroes Behind the Third Army’s Swift Advance

In the grand narrative of World War II, certain names dominate our collective memory: Eisenhower, MacArthur, and perhaps most dramatically, General George S. Patton. Patton’s Third Army blazed across Europe with unprecedented speed, earning him the nickname “Old Blood and Guts.” But behind this legendary advance was a crucial support system that made it all possible: the 514th Quartermaster Group. This unit is the subject of the book “Patton’s Wheels.”

Is This The Way America Treats Its Military Heroes?

Across America, military heroes have long been celebrated for their courage, sacrifice, and service. Yet today, questions are emerging about how people choose to remember, and sometimes remove, the full stories behind their heroism.

Artificial Intelligence and the Future of History.

In recent news, artificial intelligence (AI) has been a major focus. Developments are rapidly following each other. Deep Research, OpenAI’s latest tool, is capable of writing papers and even including citations in the text.

The Life of Alfred Masters: A Historical Discussion About the First Black American Marine and his Service in the Marine Corps.

In 1942 the United States Marine Corps took the first steps towards integration. In fact, on 1 June 1942, Alfred Masters became the first Black American to be sworn into the Marine Corps. However, rather than him, another Black American is sometimes credited as being the first: Howard P. Perry. This article will examine why that is and then share the history of Masters in the service.

The Fallacy of "Non-Political History" in Military History

History is often categorized into neat compartments: political, military, economic, cultural, and so forth. However, when closely examined, you’ll notice that these boundaries don’t really exist and are rather fluid. A prime example is the misconception that military history can be studied independently of political history, a notion some historians or enthusiasts champion as 'non-political history'. This fallacy implies that an army, as a distinct entity, can be analyzed without reference to the state that created it, the political ideologies that shaped it, or the societal structures it upheld. Such an approach not only oversimplifies history but also risks misrepresenting it entirely.

The Plans for 2025

As we step into 2025, it’s the perfect time to share what lies ahead for this year.

The 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion: Heroic Black American soldiers during World War II

The 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion is one of the most outstanding Black American units to serve during World War II. Formed during an era of segregation in the U.S. Army, this battalion proved that valor, skill, and determination knew no racial boundaries. Their extraordinary accomplishments on the battlefield helped pave the way for the eventual desegregation of the military and solidified their place in the annals of African American military history.

The 761st Tank Battalion and their unit history “Come Out Fighting!”

The 761st Tank Battalion, famously known as the "Black Panthers," holds a distinguished place in the history of World War II as the first Black American tank unit to see combat. Activated in 1942, the battalion operated under the rallying cry “Come Out Fighting!”, a motto that reflected their determination to overcome not only the Axis powers but also the pervasive racism and segregation within the U.S. military.

New Source Shared: Speech Helen Douglas

Helen Gahagan Douglas, an ardent advocate for equality and justice, delivered a speech during World War II celebrating the vital contributions of Black American soldiers. Her speech is titled: “The Negro Soldier: A partial record of Negro devotion and heroism in the cause of freedom gathered from the files of the War and Navy Departments” and delivered in January 1946 before the House of Representatives. Her words highlight the courage and resilience of Black Americans in the fight against global tyranny.

The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion

The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion holds a unique place in American military history as the only all-Black, all-female unit deployed during World War II. The battalion was comprised of 855 women, many of whom were members of the Women’s Army Corps (WAC). They faced not only the challenges of military service but also the pervasive racism and sexism of the era. Their primary mission was to sort and deliver mail, which was backlogged due to the war. The unit was stationed in Birmingham, England, where they quickly went to work, processing over 17 million pieces of mail during their deployment.

Just an image of the 218th Quartermaster Battalion

I am currently on a writing retreat in Italy and I’m focused on my project about the 777th Field Artillery Battalion. In between working on that project, I thought I’d take a small moment to share something with you.

Honoring First Lieutenant John M. Madison: Officer in the 92nd Infantry Division.

On the website of the National Archives and Records Administration, there is a section devoted to images of Black Americans during the Second World War. If you scroll down a bit, you’ll see image 235, with the caption: “Brig. Gen. Robert N. Young, Commanding General of the Military District of Washington, assists Melba Rose, aged 2, daughter of Mrs. Rosie L. Madison,...in viewing the Silver Star posthumously awarded her father 1st Lt. John W. Madison, of the 92nd Infantry Division, who was killed in action in Italy...” Immediately, I was curious. What’s the story behind this image?

May update: A fun surprise

History is full of surprises and sometimes these surprises come when you least expect them.

Patreon update

Currently, there is a gap in the existing historiography. Black American soldiers are systematically ignored, forgotten, or tokenized. To acknowledge and address the contributions of these brave warriors, it is important to share the history of Black American soldiers during the Second World War.

Short documentaries for the Militology Channel

For the Militology channel on Youtube I write scripts about a variety of topics. One of the scripts, which I have written, is about the 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion.

April updates: sources added

As a historian, I truly believe that history should be freely accessible. During my research about Black American soldiers during the Second World War, I came across various sources, which I had digitized and are now publicly available.

Allied air assaults in the movie Jugend by Alessandro Pepe

In the movie Jugend by filmmaker Alessandro Pepe about the SS-division Hitlerjugend the relationship with a SS soldier and his girlfriend at home is examined. The twist at the end of the film is -spoiler alert- that his girlfriend has already died in an Allied bombardment. In this article we will examine the mentioned numbers to see if these are correct and what the consequences of this are.

My Honor was Loyalty: SS-romanticization in contemporary media

In various media, a skewed perception of the SS is given. This twisted projection of the past can have different consequences, which again influence other media. But where does this representation come from and what is the role of historians in this process?

March update: Book appeared and manuscript handed in!

It’s been a busy month! Many things have happened and there are two things I wish to highlight for you. First of all, my book on the Tuskegee Airmen appeared. Second, I’ve finished the manuscript of the 452nd Anti-Aircraft artillery Battalion. Read more about them below!

What we can expect from you in 2024?

In between all that’s going on, I thought I’d chime in and let you all know what I am working on.

Tuskegee Airmen book announced!

With pride I can announce that I the book on the Tuskegee Airmen will appear in February 2024! The book deals with the history of the Tuskegee Airmen, which includes the 99th Fighter Squadron, the 332nd Fighter Group as well as the 477th Bombardment Group and the artillery liaison pilots.

Giving a Hero a Face

As a historian, you can sometimes be surprised by history. The photograph below is one of such surprises for me, which shows Mack B. Anderson (16 March 1920 – 20 May 1974) of the 823rd Engineer Aviation Battalion. In this article, I will explain why this photograph is so significant.

Updates about projects: September 2023

The past couple of weeks, I have not been as active as I have been before. I was on holiday in Greece together with some friends. The country was beautiful to visit and we saw many wondrous sights.

Busy with projects: Colorizing historical photographs

Currently, I’m working on a project related to the 452nd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion. However, my interest has been captured by something else lately. I’ve been coloring historical images with Artificial Intelligence.

ChatGPT and the 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion

Recently Artificial Intelligence has been a lot in the news and as a Cloud Engineer, I frequently use it to help automate simple tasks in my work. Of course, I was also curious about the other options and thus I decided to ask it to teach me about the ‘614th Tank Destroyer Battalion’. Below you’ll find the article and my comments on it!

Film footage of the 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion

In the National Archives and Records Administration is a movie clip depicting soldiers of the 95 Infantry Division. At the moment of filming, the 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion was attached to this unit and as you might have guessed, indeed, the soldiers of the 614th TD were also filmed! Finally I've managed to gain access to this clip and now I can share it with you.

Translating Wagevier his memoirs - Fighting for Napoleon his Army in Russia

The past year I’ve been working on several projects. One of these projects, at which I’ve hinted several times, is the translation of Carel Jacob Wagevier’s memoir. As an officer in the Dutch 125th Regiment of the Line he joined the Russian campaign of 1812. During this campaign he fought in combat and was eventually taken prisoner.

How three black Americans captured 15 Germans

While doing historical research, you sometimes come across little gems. I recently came across an article in the Jackson Advocate of 22 July 1944, titled 3 Signal Corpsmen Capture 15 Germans in Short Order, that I wanted to share with you.

Historical projects and 2023: what to expect?

Since the new year started recently, I thought it might be interesting to provide some insight into the projects that I am currently working on.

Review: The Kármán Line by Dennis Hopeless

The earth is dying. Five astronauts are working in space for a potential Mars colonization program. All of the astronauts are specialists in a different field.

Review: My Life Among Humans by Jed McGowan

My Life Among Humans is a humorous graphic novel. It provides a quick and entertaining read. It’s an endearing story and I greatly enjoyed reading it.

Review of Terror World by Cath Lauria

Scientist Dizzie Drexler is sent out, together with a crew, to uncover an abandoned spaceship on a remote planet. The crew consists of a telepathic centaur, two thieves Grayson and Mason, and an alien bodyguard Divak. The expedition is funded by the secretive alien Ix-Nix-Six. Once there, horror ensues and zombies quickly appear.

Review of The Dunwich Horror by H. P. Lovecraft

The Dunwich horror was one of my first forays into the work of H.P. Lovecraft. I have read some other horror fiction before, but this was my first book set in the Cthulhu Mythos universe. I’ve read it recently and thoroughly enjoyed it!

Review of The Notebooks of Captain Coignet

At a first glance, the subtitle of the book gives away immediately what this book is about. Captain Coignet was a soldier of the French Empire and served for sixteen years throughout various campaigns and battles. In total Coignet served for more than 16 years in the French army and he was involved in 16 campaigns. He fought in Austria, Spain, Italy, Prussia and Russia, and he wrote about his experiences.

The necessity of an e-reader when traveling

The past year I have traveled extensively and I wasn’t limited to being in one place. Due to my frequent moving, I needed to carry few possessions with me. As the space was limited, I needed to consider the items that I really wanted to take along, regardless of where I was. There’s one item that I always took along with me, regardless of where I was traveling: an e-reader.

Review of Memoirs of Sergeant Bourgogne, 1812-1813 by Adrien Bourgogne

In June 1812 Napoleon Bonaparte attacked Imperial Russia with his armies. More than half a million men and women were gathered for this operation. However, the invasion turned out different than Napoleon expected. After Napoleon had reached Moscow, it turned out that his supply lines were overstretched and his army was unprepared to spend the winter in Russia. He made the fatal decision to retreat. During this journey countless men and women lost their lives.

What a wonderful world we live in

Frequently technology is featured in the news and not always in a positive way. According to some people it would influence our lives too much. We would be too dependent on technology or it would make us anti-social. Personally, I doubt it, because technology allows us to be more connected than ever before. Happily, I’ll share some personal experiences.