Ivan J. Houston was only 19 years old when he entered combat against the Germans at the Arno River in Italy.

He was a private in the 92nd Division—The Buffalo Soldiers—a regimental combat team consisting of 4,000 men, mostly southern Negroes of modest education and a small complement of college men.

These soldiers exhibited valor against both the Nazis and Jim Crow laws of the day.

Ivan has written a book, Black Warriors: The Buffalo Soldiers of World War II: Memories of the Only Negro Infantry Division to Fight in Europe During World War II in which he chronicles the exploits of the 92nd Division.

The 92nd Division was featured in the Spike Lee movie Miracle at St. Anna.