As I delve into the untold story of the remarkable 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, also known as the “Six Triple Eight,” I am truly astounded by their resilience and courage in the face of adversity. These women, who were primarily African American, faced not just the challenges of war, but also racism and sexism within their own ranks and from external sources.
Tyler Perry’s film, titled “The Six Triple Eight“, tells the story of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion and their bravery during World War II. This battalion consisted of 885 women from the Black Women’s Army Corps (WAC), making it the sole all-Black and all-female group to serve overseas. Their mission was to sort and deliver millions of pieces of backlogged mail to military personnel, aiming to boost morale in the latter stages of the war.
The streaming service Netflix presents “The Six Triple Eight,” a captivating production where Kerry Washington portrays Captain Charity Adams, commander of the 6888th. Notable stars such as Oprah Winfrey, Sam Waterston, and Susan Sarandon are also part of this esteemed cast. The film delves into the triumphs and hardships experienced by the 6888th, demonstrating that not only did they meet their objectives but surpassed all expectations in the process.
The true story of The Six Triple Eight is compelling and moving alike. It highlights the fact that there are no small tasks in wartime, but also exposes a relatively unknown aspect of history.
The 6888th Was Sent to Europe in February 1945
Comprised of approximately 900 women, the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion embarked on a voyage from the United States towards Scotland on February 3, 1945. All these women were Black and had already completed their basic training in Georgia, having been enlisted in the Women’s Army Corps (WAC), the female division of the U.S. Army. Upon reaching Glasgow, Scotland, they were taken to Birmingham, England, where they found themselves facing three hangars filled with undelivered mail.
Despite the advanced stage of the war, military officials believed it was crucial for maintaining overall morale to continue mail service. With the support of Mary McLeod Bethune (portrayed by Oprah Winfrey in The Six Triple Eight), women from the 6888th were tasked with identifying recipients, organizing and processing letters and packages, and clearing out storage areas filled with millions of unsorted mail items.
In my perspective as a movie critic, Bethune served as an integral part of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s unofficial “Black Cabinet.” As a confidant of Eleanor Roosevelt and advisor to the president, Bethune passionately championed the representation of African Americans within the Women’s Army Corps (WAC). Moreover, Bethune played a crucial role in the recruitment of Charity Adams, who would later become the renowned leader of the 6888th, into the WAC.
The Women of the 6888th Developed Their Own System for Handling Mail
In Birmingham, a white officer attempted to guide the actions of the 6888th, but Major Charity Adams retorted, “No way, sir! Not over my dead body, sir!” This assertion is based on the account of Retired Brigadier General Wilma Vaught.
Initially, the general proposed a military trial against her, but later chose not to proceed with it. Eventually, they developed a friendship. At a later point, he expressed regret and offered an apology.
The 6888th set up a system where they assigned serial numbers to information cards for identifying recipients based on their last names. This led to the production of over seven million cards as they worked through the pile of undelivered mail. Despite working in freezing, rodent-infested conditions and rotating shifts around the clock (three shifts per day), the women of the 6888th managed to process approximately 65,000 pieces of mail each shift. The skies above them were a constant threat as bombs fell intermittently, causing both distraction and terror according to Corporal Lena Derriecott’s account.
One might catch the distant hum of the German V-1 flying bombs approaching, and then recognize the impact once they had exploded.
For members of the 6888th unit, it wasn’t just the noise and peril of war that they had to contend with; racism and sexism were ever-present issues as well. As Anna Tarryk, a former member of the 6888th, put it.
We battled on three distinct battlefronts: initially, we fought against segregation, secondly, we engaged in a war, and lastly, we addressed the challenges posed by our male population.
The 6888th Was Then Sent to France
The 6888th unit was tasked with organizing and dealing with millions of letters within a six-month timeframe in England. However, they managed to complete this Herculean task three months ahead of schedule. Despite the fact that the war had technically ended, they were then dispatched to Rouen, France, to handle additional mail. On V-E Day in May, women from the 6888th unit joined others in France to celebrate.
In France, the mail handling was similar to England’s, but the 6888th found their working environment more pleasant as they were stationed in a monastery. Unlike their previous location, this setting allowed them to add some personal touches since it wasn’t as dreary and dim. Regarding the mail, it had been delayed for months, some of which was years old. The 688th Postal Battalion encountered fresh obstacles due to language barriers, but they managed to complete their task within five months. Afterward, they were transferred once more to Paris.
In France, the 6888th spent their leisure time exploring various villages and interacting with locals. They had been warmly received by numerous English individuals they encountered, but in France, they established recreational sports teams and were accommodated at a lavish hotel in Paris. Mary Ragland shared her experiences of France:
The sentiment among those around me was overwhelmingly supportive… They wondered aloud, ‘Why is your nation unkind towards you when black individuals have played such a significant role in shaping the country and its culture?’ I felt a sense of awkwardness as they posed this question.
As the war ended and mail traffic decreased, soldiers from the 6888th began to return home. By February 1946, the entire unit had been dissolved. Watch it on Netflix.
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2024-12-11 04:31