WWII’s All Black Women’s Unit finally Recognised

The only Black, all-female unit to serve in Europe during World War II, commonly known as the “Six Triple Eight,” were honored Tuesday with the Congressional Gold Medal, following a long-running campaign to recognize their efforts. The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion was credited with solving a growing mail crisis during its stint in England and, upon their return, serving as a role model to generations of Black women who joined the military.

The unit cleared out a backlog of about 17 million pieces of mail in three months, twice as fast as projected, and would go on to serve in France before returning home. Like many Black units during World War II, their exploits never got the attention afforded their white counterparts - until now.

At a ceremony held in Emancipation Hall at the U.S. Capitol's visitor center, House Speaker Mike Johnson presented the medal to the family of the unit commander, Lt. Col. Charity Adams Earley. "With each passing day, we are slowly losing our ties to this great generation of men and women.

It is our responsibility and solemn duty as citizens to preserve this heritage," Johnson said in remarks at the event. More than 300 descendants of the women who served in the battalion were present in the crowd. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer delivered remarks alongside the lawmakers who co-sponsored the legislation enabling the medal.

At least two dozen members of Congress were in attendance. According to the senior curator and director of curatorial affairs at the National WWII Museum, there are only two women still alive from the 855 who served in the unit. Wisconsin Democratic Rep. Gwen Moore, who co-sponsored the legislation to award the medal to the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, called it a long overdue honor for the women in the unit.

In 2022, Congress voted 422-0 to bestow its highest honor on the 6888th. The 6888th was sent overseas in 1945, a time when there was growing pressure from African-American organizations to include Black women in what was called the Women’s Army Corps, and allow them to join their white counterparts overseas.

The 6888th toiled around the clock, processing about 65,000 pieces of mail in each of the three shifts. They created a system using locator cards with a service member’s name and unit number to ensure mail was delivered. Over the years, the unit’s story started to gain wider recognition.

A monument was erected in 2018 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, to honor them, and the 6888th was given the Meritorious Unit Commendation in 2019. A documentary “The Six Triple Eight” was made about their exploits. In 2024, Tyler Perry directed a movie for Netflix about the unit, starring Kerry Washington.