Tank crews from the 761st Tank Battalion await orders to clean out scattered Nazi machine gun nests in Coburg, Germany, April 25, 1945. The 761st Tank Battalion was the first African-American tank battalion to go into battle, and spent 183 continuous days in combat. The unit earned four campaign medals, 11 Silver Stars, 69 Bronze Stars and about 300 Purple Hearts. A Medal of Honor and a Presidential Unit Citation came later. Photo courtesy National Archives