# The 761st Tank Battalion Congressional Gold Medal Act

This bill honors the 761st Tank Battalion, a groundbreaking military unit that made extraordinary contributions during World War II. Congress is awarding them a Congressional Gold Medal—one of the highest civilian honors the government can give—to recognize their heroic service and their historic significance as the first Black soldiers to serve as part of an American armored unit in combat.

The 761st Tank Battalion, nicknamed the "Black Panthers," fought in Europe from late 1944 until the war ended in 1945. Despite facing racial discrimination and skepticism from military leadership, they saw 183 consecutive days of combat without being pulled from the front lines. They fought in major battles including the Battle of the Bulge, helped rescue trapped American paratroopers in Bastogne, and were among the first American units to break through Germany's defensive Siegfried Line. During their service, they inflicted roughly 130,000 casualties on German forces while suffering nearly 50 percent casualties themselves, losing 71 tanks. Members of the unit earned a Medal of Honor, 11 Silver Stars, and about 300 Purple Hearts. Remarkably, despite these achievements, the battalion didn't receive official recognition until 1978—more than three decades after the war ended—when they finally received a Presidential Unit Citation.

Practically speaking, this bill creates a gold medal that will be designed by the Treasury Department and presented to the battalion collectively. After the presentation ceremony, the medal will be housed at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., where it will be available for public viewing and research. The bill also allows the Treasury Department to create and sell bronze duplicate medals to cover the costs of production. This is primarily a symbolic gesture of national gratitude and historical recognition, ensuring that the 761st's contributions are properly acknowledged and remembered by future generations.

761st Tank Battalion Congressional Gold Medal Act

Palmer, Gary J.

761st Tank Battalion Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to the 761st Tank Battalion in recognition of their role in the success of Allied forces in Europe during World War II and for the example they set as the first Black soldiers to go to war as part of an American armored unit. Following the award of the gold medal, the gold medal shall be given to the National Museum of African American History and Culture where it shall be available for display and research.