The Red Ball Express

In the summer of 1944, the Red Ball Express became the critical supply lifeline for Allied forces advancing through France after the D-Day invasion. With rail lines destroyed and supply chains strained, the U.S. Army launched a nonstop truck convoy system to move food, fuel, and ammunition to the front. Operated mostly by African American soldiers in segregated units, the Red Ball Express ran 24/7 under dangerous conditions and extreme pressure. Drivers like Private Robert Johnson quickly realized their role was essential to keeping the war moving forward.

The convoys navigated blackout nights, enemy fire, and war-ravaged roads using only the glow of the truck ahead. With over 6,000 vehicles and 23,000 men involved, the operation stretched hundreds of miles across hostile territory. Mechanical breakdowns were constant, forcing drivers and mechanics to improvise roadside repairs just to stay mobile. Despite racism within the military, the men of the Red Ball Express proved that logistics could be as heroic as combat—and just as vital to victory.