Black female WWII unit, 'Six Triple Eight,' receives congressional honor

WASHINGTON — The only Black, all-female unit to serve in Europe during World War II, known as the ''Six Triple Eight,'' was honored Tuesday with the Congressional Gold Medal, following a long-running campaign to recognize their efforts.

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 U.S. 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.

''This ceremony reflects one of the highest and most cherished traditions of our republic, one that's roots stretch back all the way to General George Washington,'' Johnson said.

''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," the House speaker continued.

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.

''While representation is important, it is important after excellence,'' Stanley Earley III, the son of the battalion's commander, said during the event.

''These soldiers exemplified determination in the face of adversity and demonstrated the ability to go beyond what was thought to be possible. They overcame major obstacles to perceived success and made a substantial difference to the army. They serve as an inspiring role model for young soldiers entering service today, and they are true examples of American excellence," he added.

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 wartime.''

Wisconsin Democratic Rep. Gwen Moore, who co-sponsored the legislation to award the medal, called it long overdue.

''This ceremony is a fitting end to a long journey to make sure that we do not forget their service," said Moore, who represents one of the two living members of the battalion.

''They did it for the love of country. And the story reminds us so much that while there's much that divides our country today, there's even more than joins us together, like a commitment to service, a commitment to doing something bigger than yourself, to live and volunteer, to go into service in a war zone, even in the face of segregation at home,'' said Moore.

''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 co-sponsored the Gold Medal legislation in the Senate.

''When these women returned home, there was no parade to greet them. No one lined the streets to thank them for their service. That ain't right. And we're trying to correct it today,'' the Kansas Republican continued.

In 2022, Congress voted 422-0 to bestow its highest honor on the 6888th.

"It's overwhelming,'' retired Maj. Fannie Griffin McClendon, who lives in Arizona, told The AP after the vote. ''It's something I never even thought about it.''

McClendon joined the Air Force after the military was integrated and retired in 1971. She was the first female to command an all-male squadron with the Strategic Air Command.

The 6888th was sent overseas in 1945, a time when there was growing pressure from African American organizations to include Black women in what was called the Women's Army Corps, and allow them to join their white counterparts overseas.

''They kept hollering about wanting us to go overseas so I guess they found something for us to do overseas: Take care of the mail,'' McClendon said. ''And there was an awful lot of mail. ... They expected we were gonna be there about two or three months trying to get it straightened out. Well I think in about a month, in a month and a half, we had it all straightened out and going in the right direction.''

The 6888th toiled around the clock, processing about 65,000 pieces of mail in each of the three shifts. They created a system using locator cards with service members' names and unit numbers to ensure mail was delivered.

Over the years, the unit's story started to gain wider recognition. A monument was erected in 2018 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, to honor them, and the 6888th was given the Meritorious Unit Commendation in 2019. A documentary ''The Six Triple Eight'' was made about their exploits. In 2024, Tyler Perry directed a movie for Netflix about the unit, starring Kerry Washington.

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Associated Press writer Michael Casey contributed to this report.