“No mail, low morale”: Black Women’s Army Corps unit earns Medal of Honor for World War II service overseas

2022-03-25T10:59:02-04:00

“No mail, low morale.”

When the largest unit of African American women to serve overseas in World War II arrived in Birmingham, England, in 1945, that was the motto driving the mission: Distribute backlogs of morale-boosting letters to the forces fighting fascism.

In their overwhelming success, the 855-member 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion — the “Six Triple Eight” — would change American history by furthering the rights of all Black women service members.

During Women’s History Month and in time for National Medal of Honor Day on March 25, the members of the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) unit now have a Medal of Honor — the nation’s highest military honor — for their wartime service from February 1945 to March 9, 1946. The mostly posthumous tribute — a few members of the unit survive, in their 90s — came about following President Joe Biden’s signing into law of the Six Triple Eight Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2022 (S. 321) on March 14.

Facing racial disparities in which female units could serve overseas

According to background on the bill in the Feb. 28 Congressional Record, when the WAC was formally established in 1943, White women received more opportunities to serve the war effort abroad, and several White female units went to Europe.

Although Black females earned the right to be admitted into the WAC as officers and enlisted personnel (in part a credit to the advocacy of National Council of Negro Women founder Mary McLeod Bethune and first lady Eleanor Roosevelt), they were largely denied the ability to serve overseas. (Despite facing racism and official and unofficial segregation, 6,520 Black women eventually served in the WAC and its predecessor auxiliary corps.)

African American organizations urged the War Department to give these Black female units the chance to do more. However, with the exception of small units of Black nurses who contributed to the war effort in Africa, Australia and England, the Six Triple Eight became the only other African American women battalion to be approved to go overseas, according to the Congressional Record.

Beating expectations in mail delivery

Arriving in England, the unit confronted warehouses bursting with millions of pieces of undelivered mail intended for the 7 million U.S. civilian and military personnel driving across the European Theater of Operations (ETO), according to the Congressional Record.

“Army leadership estimated it would take between six months and a year to clear the backlog of mail,” said Rep. Ed Perlmutter, a Democrat of Colorado and one of the bill’s sponsors, on the House floor. “The women of the Six Triple Eight did it in three months.”

They accomplished this by creating a mail sorting process and filing system to track individual service members. The unit organized undeliverable mail, determined the intended receipt for insufficiently addressed mail and figured out how to handle mail for deceased service members. Working in three, eight-hour shifts for seven days a week, the Six Triple Eight processed 65,000 pieces of mail per shift, clearing the backlog in about 90 days.

The unit then went to Rouen, France, and worked through another backlog of mail going back as many as three years. The unit distributed an estimated 17 million letters and other mail.

In addition to having a Medal of Honor for their service, the unit previously received the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the Women’s Army Corps Service Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.

The new law specifically recognizes the Six Triple Eight for their pioneering military service and devotion to duty and for contributing to the morale of everyone stationed in the ETO. After being designed by the Treasury Department, the medal will be displayed at the Smithsonian Institution and at other suggested locations and made available for research. The law allows duplicates to be made and sold.

Learn more

Download the law (P.L. 117-97): https://www.congress.gov/117/plaws/publ97/PLAW-117publ97.pdf

Read Biden’s statement on signing S. 321: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/legislation/2022/03/14/bills-signed-h-r-2545-and-s-321

Review all actions on S. 321: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/321/actions

Just a moment...

Response by SSG William Jones made Mar 25 at 2022 11:02 AM

2022-03-25T11:02:23-04:00

Good post.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 25 at 2022 12:08 PM

2022-03-25T12:08:17-04:00

You need to fix the headline because I almost shit myself.
A Medal of Honor for a unit??

It's a Congressional Gold Medal, not the Medal of Honor. Big Difference.

Response by MAJ Bob Miyagishima made Mar 25 at 2022 12:13 PM

2022-03-25T12:13:11-04:00

Great article

Response by Cpl Vic Burk made Mar 25 at 2022 12:57 PM

2022-03-25T12:57:26-04:00

Excellent share!

Response by CPL Douglas Chrysler made Mar 25 at 2022 5:27 PM

2022-03-25T17:27:09-04:00

Response by LTC Ray Buenteo made Mar 25 at 2022 5:47 PM

2022-03-25T17:47:01-04:00

How does delivering mail warrant a Medal of Honor. Public Law 88-77, July 25 1963: requires recipients distinguished themselves conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of their life above and beyond the call of duty. I have a problem comparing delivery of backlogged mail as an act that would put one’s life at risk beyond the call of duty.

Response by SMSgt Anil Heendeniya made Mar 25 at 2022 7:19 PM

2022-03-25T19:19:45-04:00

A great read--thankyou for sharing!
But ACCURACY and knowing the difference between then MOH and the CGM should be the writer's job, but this failed the accuracy test.

Response by MSG Thomas Currie made Mar 26 at 2022 11:15 AM

2022-03-26T11:15:49-04:00

Author needs to learn that a Congressional Gold Medal is not the "Medal of Honor" and is not "the nation’s highest military honor"

Response by CPO Nate S. made Mar 26 at 2022 3:57 PM

2022-03-26T15:57:23-04:00

Absolutely great article! History is full of hidden gems!!!

Response by GySgt Kenneth Pepper made Mar 27 at 2022 9:51 AM

2022-03-27T09:51:47-04:00

Great story but factually incorrect regarding Congressional Gold Medal vs. Medal of Honor.

Response by SMSgt Anil Heendeniya made Mar 27 at 2022 1:50 PM

2022-03-27T13:50:49-04:00

A nice tribute to the women of Six Triple Eight. Congratulations to them for finally being recognized with the Congressional Gold Medal.
Unfortunately, the author of the article repeatedly and incorrectly conflates the CGM (Congressional Gold Medal) with the Medal Of Honor (MOH). They are two VERY distinct and different medals!
H.R. 2545 and S. 321 correctly cite and identify the award of the Congressional Gold Medal to the members of Six Triple Eight.

Response by SMSgt Anil Heendeniya made Mar 27 at 2022 3:54 PM

2022-03-27T15:54:58-04:00

It's wonderful to see these women recognized (albeit in a very belated fashion) for their roles in service to our nation.

But the writer of the article conflates two VERY different terms: in a confusing way, the writer equates the Medal Of Honor (MOH) with the Congressional Gold Medal (CGM).

The two are VASTLY different, and are awarded for very different reasons!

The writer's name is not mentioned anywhere, but I respectfully request the article be edited to eliminate references to the MOH, and stick to citing the CGM to remain consistent and accurate.

Thank you!

Anil N. Heendeniya, SMSgt, USAF (retired)

Response by SGT Charles Graham made Mar 28 at 2022 5:23 PM

2022-03-28T17:23:57-04:00

IT'S ABOUT TIME .

Response by MSG Greg Kelly made Mar 30 at 2022 6:17 AM

2022-03-30T06:17:22-04:00

Anybody notice the lady in the front center is out of step.

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Mar 30 at 2022 6:58 AM

2022-03-30T06:58:15-04:00

Excellent share on the 6 triple 8 RallyPoint Shared Content

Response by Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen made Apr 2 at 2022 3:50 PM

2022-04-02T15:50:13-04:00

Great history share.

Response by SFC(P) Larry Nahalea made Apr 2 at 2022 11:14 PM

2022-04-02T23:14:20-04:00

Its great to know this stuff.

Response by PO1 John Johnson made Apr 6 at 2022 5:49 AM

2022-04-06T05:49:37-04:00

Logically, awarding a "Unit" a MoH is probably not a good idea, as the door opens for other Distinguished Units that served to start asking "Hey? What about us?" for THEIR previously received Unit Commendations for battlefield effort and results upgraded to the MoH. I wonder if anyone upstairs at the top thought about that?

Dang; I posted according to the headline and text, then read the link to the law. The author confuses the MOH with the Congressional Gold Medal, willingly or not.

Response by Sgt William Grau made Apr 6 at 2022 8:59 PM

2022-04-06T20:59:25-04:00

Wonderful! Glad to see these great ladies finally get their due. (Isn't it the Congressional Gold Medal and not the MOH?) My father was one of the people who benefited from their service. God bless!

Response by SPC Robbie Richardson (Lindsey) made Apr 7 at 2022 10:47 PM

2022-04-07T22:47:38-04:00

I had a good friend, Ms Evelyn Johnson, who served with that unit during that time.

Response by SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL made Apr 21 at 2022 7:29 PM

2022-04-21T19:29:39-04:00

Thanks for sharing.

Response by CAPT John Waddell made Apr 23 at 2022 5:24 PM

2022-04-23T17:24:05-04:00

Not the Medal of Honor.