Unveiling the Legacy of WWII's All Black Women Battalion 6888 Honored with Congressional Gold Medal

By Mona Austin

(TSN): In 1945, during WWII, a group of Black service women delivered peace of mind to soldiers abroad and families back home in America by unclogging the drastic back-log of mail in France and England. For people who did not know if their soldiers were dead or alive their work provided some answers by opening up communication channels. The subject of the 2024 Tyler Perry movie "The 6888" (Six Triple Eight), members of that unit were honored with the Congressional Gold Medal at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday. Under the leadership of Lt. Col. Charity Adams Early, mail for millions of military members was delivered, boosting morale. With bipartisan approval, the highest possible Congressional honor was bestowed to the first and only all Black battalion this year since Pres. Joe Biden had approved it during the pandemic.

Leaders from both parties spoke to the more than 300 relatives of the recipients that were in attendance at the ceremony. Speaker Mike Johnson presented the medal to the family of Col. Adams Early.

“I don’t know if any of the letters between my mom and dad passed through the hands of the Six Triple Eight, but I do know that the work they did made it possible for millions of young men like my dad to keep up the fight,” said Sen. Jerry Moran, who recounted meeting five of the battalion members in 2018. Moran, a Republican from Kansas, co-sponsored the medal legislation in the Senate.

The 855 members of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion first reported for duty in Birmingham, England on February 12, 1945. U.S. Army leadership gave the “Six Triple Eight” six months to complete the mission of clearing 17 million pieces of mail. They did it in three.

Two members of the battalion are still living and watched the ceremony recognizing their work from home 80 years later.

"We forever will ensure that they will never, ever be hidden figures again," Minority leader Hakeem Jeffries said.

​MEMBERS FROM LOUISIANA

Alexander, Lubertha M PVT; Batiste, Annetta A T4; Bell, Theresa Mae CPL; Carter, Bessie Mae PFC; Charlot, Marie Dora T5; Chestang, Margie Antoinette PVT; Duncan, Liddie Mae SGT; Dunn, Althea Ceronica PFC; Ellis, Margaret G PVT; Green, Dorothy D PVT; Harris, Hattie Jane PVT; Jewett, Willie Mae CPL; Johnson, Martha Lee T5; Jones, Lucille Muril PVT; Landry, Catherine G 1LT; Lawson, Annie Mae T5; LeBeau, ElFreda St Anne 2LT; McClain, Mary PFC; McCullum, Charlotte M CPL; Moore, Marion Mildred PFC; Morrison, Almeta Phelice PFC; Moses, Annie L PFC; Niblet, Normal PFC; O’Gilvie, Gladys B PVT; Pickett, Frances Elizabeth CPL; Simmons, Annette W T5; Talbert, Manthie Robbie PFC; Washington, Malinda Ann PFC; Wearey, Shirley Hertiesine T5; White, Velma Lawhorn T5.