America’s history is a bloody one. While it is known that the men and women who have given their lives to serve the country have done so willingly. Many men and women have received recognition of their acts of bravery and their sacrifice. Unfortunately, the United States do not readily recognize the African-American community as much as they should. The African-American men and women have sacrificed a lot through the years while volunteering for military duty.
This negligence is beginning to change. Only last year did black Marines, whose unit name was Montford Point Marines, who served in the second World War were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.
The airmen of Tuskegee received the treatment usually reserved for celebrities in 2012 in the big production film, Red Tails.
Now there are a few congressmen who are requesting the Senate to set the record straight about the slaughter of African-American soldiers by the Nazis during WWII.
Approximately 11 soldiers were tortured and killed by Nazi soldiers during the infamous Battle of the Bulge. There was an investigation into the incident in 1944, but it was closed. The families of the tortured soldiers were told the men were killed while in action.
It wasn’t until some time in the 1990s did the truth finally come out. A Belgian villager knew about the massacre and erected a small memorial to the deceased soldiers. Since then, their story has spread and a larger memorial has been built to honor them.
Jim Gerkach and Chaka Fattah have sponsored a resolution. They are calling on the Senate Armed Services Committee to revise a 1949 subcommittee report. This report investigated the crimes committed by Germans during the Battle of the Bulge.
USA Today reports a comment Gerlach made: “Every now and then, it takes history a while to accurately reflect the monumental moments that have helped chart its course.”