Detroit Arsenal ‘flips switch’ on new substation

Community and military leaders gathered on the Detroit Arsenal Oct. 13 to “flip the switch” on the arsenal’s new Staff Sergeant Ruben Rivers Electrical Substation.

United States Senator Gary Peters and Brig. Gen. Michael Lalor, commanding general of the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command, spoke at the event that included local government officials, community and business leaders as well as military leaders from the arsenal and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

“The Detroit Arsenal is absolutely critical to our national defense and I’m committed to ensuring it remains that way for years to come,” said Senator Peters, a former Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “That’s why I fought for and secured $24 million in federal funds to upgrade this facility to support emerging research and development, spur continued growth at the Arsenal, and quite literally, keep the lights on.”

The proposals to build a new substation and upgrade the electrical distribution system at Detroit Arsenal began more than 10 years ago.

“I would like to express my deep gratitude to everyone who has played a role in the construction of this substation,” said Lalor. “This is a significant milestone in our commitment to the safety and well-being of our military personnel. It is a symbol of our unwavering dedication to ensuring that they have the best possible facilities and technologies to carry out their important work.”

“It took the technical expertise, diligent efforts, and long hours of the many dedicated individuals who made this project a reality, said Shannon Bergt, U.S. Army Garrison – Detroit Arsenal energy manager and master of ceremonies for the event. “The contributions they made will provide enduring benefits to the Army through increased electrical capacity to support future missions, microgrid capabilities which provide state of the art control, and the significant increase to the energy resilience of the arsenal. I would like to thank former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and the Environment, Mr. Jack Surash for supporting the funding request to include a microgrid duct bank as part of this project, and his Program Manager for Operational Energy Mr. Nathan Cornell for his herculean effort to ensure swift processing of yearend funds amidst the height of COVID shutdowns.”

The substation was named in memory of Army Staff Sgt. Ruben Rivers. Staff Sergeant Ruben Rivers was born October 30, 1918, and grew up in Hotulka, Oklahoma, with his 11 brothers and sisters. In January 1942, Sergeant Rivers was drafted into the Army and was assigned to Able Company, 761st Tank Battalion, an African American tank unit stationed at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana. On October 29, 1943, the 761st was re-constituted as a medium tank battalion, using the M4 Sherman tank equipped with a 75 mm cannon. The M4 Sherman was America’s newest tank at that time and was manufactured here at the Detroit Arsenal at the former Detroit Tank Plant located immediately east of this substation.

On November 16, 1944, Sergeant Rivers and Able Company advanced on Guébling, France when Sergeant Rivers’ Sherman tank hit a mine and slashed his leg to the bone. Although injured, Sergeant Rivers refused medical treatment, took command of a working tank, and continued the advance through Guébling. On November 19 east of the town of Bourgaltroff, Able Company met stiff German resistance and was ordered to retreat. Re-fusing to withdraw, Sergeant Rivers led a charge against the German anti-tank positions to cover the rest of Able Company’s retreat. During this encounter, Sergeant Rivers’ tank was hit killing him instantly and wounding the four other crew members.

On November 23, 1944, Sergeant Rivers’ commanding officer Captain David J. Williams submitted the paperwork through official channels to have Sergeant Rivers awarded the Medal of Honor. Sergeant Rivers had already been awarded the Silver Star and the Purple Heart for his heroic actions as a member of the 761st Tank Battalion in northeastern France. However, no African American soldier or sailor was awarded a Medal of Honor for military service in World War II. In 1993, a Department of Defense study found that systemic racism kept African American soldiers from being nominated and recommended the Army consider a group of 10 soldiers for the Medal of Honor. On January 13, 1997, President Bill Clinton posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor to Sergeant Rivers and six other World War II veterans.