The battalion, which was composed mainly of African-American troops, served during World War II and was also known as the 96th Engineer General Service Regiment.

It embarked at New York on 4 March 1942 and arrived in Australia on the north-eastern coast of Queensland, on 9 April 1942.

This was the site for a large-scale siege lasting eight hours known as the Townsville mutiny, which was sparked by racial taunts and violence.

The soldiers took to the machine guns and anti-aircraft weapons and fired into tents where their white American counterparts were drinking, killing one, severely injuring dozens and expending 700 rounds.

[1] On 29 July 1942 it was redesignated the 96th Engineer General Service Regiment, and moved to the Philippines on 22 April 1945, where it was inactivated on 15 February 1946.