Celebrating Black History in Honor of The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion

Celebrating Black History in Honor of The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion

In early 1945, the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion — the first and only Women’s Army Corps unit of color to be stationed in Europe during World War II — was deployed to England to take on a seemingly impossible mission. Their assignment? Sort through, catalog, and prepare for delivery a backlog of more than 17 million pieces of mail to US soldiers fighting abroad and their loved ones back home, often mislabeled or without a complete address. The task was Herculean, and the conditions arduous. As well as the terrors of war, the 855 women of the 6888th, led by Major Adams, faced segregation and sexism within their own military, and carried out their important work in derelict buildings lacking adequate light and heat. They were given six months to complete the job. They did it in 90 days, bringing missives of hope to the front lines.  Click for more, https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/the-six-triple-eight-true-story

Formation:

• Formed in 1944 in response to demands from African American organizations
• Nicknamed “Six-Triple Eight”
• Motto was “No Mail, Low Morale”

Mission:

• To restore vital communication between troops and their loved ones
• To clear backlogs of mail in the UK and France

Achievements:

• Processed mail for over four million military and civilian personnel
• Broke records for redirecting mail
• Helped change the U.S. military to better reflect the country’s diverse population

Source – GOOGLE