The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, nicknamed the "Six Triple Eight," was an all-Black unit of the Women's Army Corps. The 6888th consisted of 855 brave Black women. The unit was lead by Major Charity Adams, who was the first and highest ranking African American officer in the Women's Army Corps.
Below you'll find great videos with interviews of members from the unit and Charity Adams.
Charity Adams
The Six Triple Eight surpassed all expectations and paved the way for other African American women who wanted to serve.
"Elizabeth Bernice Barker is a World War II veteran of the 6888th Central Postal Battalion of the Women's Army Corps. Ms. Barker and her sisters in arms were members of the 688th unit responsible for sorting the backlog of mail to maintain the morale of Americans stationed in Europe."
Sadly, the unit did not receive recognition till 70 years after service. In 2018 a monument was placed on the Fort Leavenworth base to commemorate the commitment of the 6888th battalion. In 2021 a bill was introduced to award the unit with a Congressional Gold Medal. Unfortunately, the bill has yet to advance through the House.
As I was learning about this unit I couldn't help but to get upset. This was never taught in my school. I did not find out about this extraordinary group of women until I pursued my personal studies. These women never received a parade or a thank you from the country they served when they returned home. This blog post is a mere appreciation of their service. These women are truly in my heart.
I hope to see more humanity in the coming days.
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