[Thrownatbirth]

My crazy uncle (he's still around) liberated Buchenwald in April 1945 as part of the 4th Armored Div. of the Third Army. US troops were also directly involved in liberating Dachau and Mauthausen.

Uncle Billy says he's still mad at the Krauts, BTW.

[Sigurdrifta]

At that time the US military was still segregated. Although there were a few black units that served courageously in combat (the Tuskeegee Airman and the “Triple Nickel” parachutists come to mind) most were in support roles.

There is a segment in “Victory at Sea” showing US troops forcing the front gate open at (as I recall) Buchenwald.
They were white. That is not to say that other support units did not follow along later, of course.