By Lauren Rabin
What an honor it is to walk in our town’s Memorial Day parades, where we honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice that allows us the freedoms we enjoy as Americans. Coincidentally, my husband and I watched the 2024 historical war drama The Six Triple Eight on Memorial Day weekend. My husband always picks movies for me to watch. After being together for 40 years, my husband’s movie recommendations are always spot on; he knows what I will enjoy and what will leave a lasting impression on me.
The Six Triple Eight was no exception! The movie spotlights the remarkable true story of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion—the only allBlack, all-female unit in the Women’s Army Corps to serve overseas during World War II.
In early 1945, the 6888th Battalion was deployed to England with a daunting mission: to sort and deliver a backlog of over 17 million undelivered letters intended for U.S. soldiers stationed in Europe. Led by Major Charity Adams, the battalion faced immense challenges, including racism, sexism, and harsh working conditions. Despite being given six months to complete the task, they accomplished it in just 90 days, significantly boosting troop morale.
Watching the movie inspired me to learn more, especially given the fact that four women died during deployment and are buried with honor at the Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, France, alongside thousands of other American service members who died during the war. Their inclusion there underscores their official status as U.S. military personnel who died in the line of duty.
The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion was formed in 1944 as part of the U.S. Women’s Army Corps (WAC). They were the first and only all-Black, all-female battalion to serve overseas during World War II. During WWII, the U.S. military remained racially segregated, with both women and African Americans facing systemic discrimination. Despite these barriers, over 6,500 Black women served in the Women’s Army Corps. The 6888th was created in response to a severe backlog of mail in Europe, which was negatively impacting troop morale. More than 17 million pieces of undelivered mail had accumulated in warehouses in Birmingham, England. The Battalion’s commanding officer was Major Charity Adams, one of the highest-ranking Black women in the Army at the time. The unit was given six months to clear the backlog— they accomplished their mission in three months. They developed a system to track service members, many of whom had similar names, had been relocated, or had been killed in action. Their motto: “No mail, low morale.” The women worked in shifts around the clock in unheated warehouses and poor conditions. Despite these hardships, they maintained high morale and professionalism. After their work in England, they were sent to Rouen and Paris, France, where they replicated their success. After the war, the battalion was quietly disbanded in March 1946. For decades, their contributions went largely unrecognized. In 2019, their story began gaining mainstream attention thanks to historians and journalists. In 2022, the U.S. Congress awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to the 6888th in recognition of their service.
The sacrifices made by the women who died — and the 855 total members of the 6888th—are part of why the battalion was finally awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.
A week after watching the movie, I remain emotionally invested in the story of these remarkable women and their contributions. I also recommend the film, and if I have the opportunity to visit Normandy, I hope to pay my respects to all those buried there in person.
Selectwoman for the Town of Greenwich
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