This was the only predominantly Black, all-female battalion of the US Women's Army Corps (WAC) to serve overseas in the Second World War. Their job was a tough one, clear the huge backlog of mail addressed to American service personnel that was piling up in Europe. Army officials reported that the lack of reliable mail delivery was hurting morale.
The Six Triple Eight was assigned to England and France during World War II and were given the huge task of getting the backlog of mail sorted. They worked in cold, dirty, dark rat-infested aircraft hangars with broken windows sorting through millions of pieces of mail intended for members of the U.S. military, U.S. Government personnel, and Red Cross workers serving in the European Theater of Operations.
The battalion developed a tracking system, maintaining about seven million information cards that included serial numbers of servicemembers to distinguish different individuals with the same name (more than 7500 letters were addressed to "Robert Smith" alone). They dealt with “undeliverable” mail which was sent to their location for redirection. They investigated insufficiently addressed mail for clues to determine the intended recipient, and they handled the sad duty of returning mail addressed to servicemembers who had died.
The battalion processed an average of 65,000 pieces of mail per shift and cleared the six-month backlog of mail in three months. The women adhered to the motto of, “No mail, low morale,” providing essential support for the U.S. military in the European theater by linking servicemembers to their loved ones back home. They achieved unprecedented success and efficiency in solving the military’s postal problems.
They worked long hours in harsh conditions, sorting through millions of letters. But despite their service, they weren’t given the recognition they deserved when they came home. It took nearly 80 years for them to finally receive the Congressional Gold Medal in 2022.
The Six Triple Eight’s story is one of courage, dedication, and breaking barriers. As we celebrate Black History Month, let’s remember their legacy and the impact they had—not just in World War II, but in paving the way for future generations to be recognized for their service to our amazing country!