American Veterans Center Honors

Mangrum’s unit to be recognized in American Veterans Center Honor
Thomas Mangrum, a life member of American Legion Post 83, Mathews, and former county supervisor, will be among those representing the 761st Tank Battalion in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 7 for the 2015 American Veterans Center Honors.
During World War II, the decorated all-African American tank battalion (known as the “Black Panthers”) was involved in 183 consecutive days of combat. The Panthers’ motto was “Come out fighting.”
After several campaigns and the Battle of the Bulge, the unit opened the way for the U.S. 4th Armored Division into Germany during an action that breached the Siegfried Line. In the final days of the war in Europe, the 761st was one of the first American units to reach Steyr in Austria at the Enns River where they met with the 1st Ukraine Front of the Soviet Army.
The 761st Tank Battalion was the recipient of the Presidential Unit Citation and counts one Medal of Honor, 11 Silver Star, 69 Bronze Star and 296 Purple Heart (eight with clusters) recipients in its ranks.
Other honorees include Marine Corps Cpl. Hershel “Woody” Williams, the last living Medal of Honor recipient from the Battle of Iwo Jima; USAF Gen. Charles Cleveland, Korean War ace pilot and recent recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal; Lt. Jason Redman, Navy SEAL with 21 years’ service, Purple Heart recipient and author of “The Trident”; Col. Buzz Aldrin, Korean War fighter pilot and NASA astronaut, one of the first men to walk on the moon; and Dr. James H. Billington, Army veteran and 13th Librarian of Congress with 28 years of service.
Mangrum, originally from Cobbs Creek, Virginia, now resides in Williamsburg.
The event will be televised the following weekend.
Submitted by Tommy Lewis, Media and Communications
Mathews Post 83, The American Legion