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 AP reports. 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. They cleared out a backlog of about 17 million pieces of mail in three months, twice as fast as projected. The battalion would go on to serve in France before returning home. And 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 US Capitol's visitor center, House Speaker Mike Johnson presented the medal to the family of the unit commander, Lt. Col. Charity Adams Earley. More than 300 descendants of the women who served in the battalion were present in the crowd. "The Six Triple Eight are great American patriots, loyal to a nation that, for far too long, failed to return the favor. And I'm glad to say that's changing, and we're doing that here today," Johnson said in remarks at the event.
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. Kim Guise, senior curator and director of curatorial affairs at the National WWII Museum, said there are only two women living from the 855 who served in the unit. "That really shows how long this recognition took," Guise said. "It is really important to recognize the accomplishments of these women and what they went through to serve their country in war time." (For more on how they processed the mail so fast, see the AP.)
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