April 29, 2025
The Congressional Gold Medal will be presented to the family of unit commander Lt. Col. Charity Adams Earley at the Capitol Visitor Center.
To recognize the women of the Six Triple Eight who made up the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the unit will be honored on April 29 with the Congressional Gold Medal.
The all-Black, all-female unit was the first of its kind deployed overseas during World War II. During their time in Europe, the military women cleared out a backlog of undelivered mail, which amounted to nearly 17 million pieces, solving the crisis within three months. According to The Associated Press, the honor follows a long-running campaign that calls attention to the unit, which has rarely been recognized for its service upon return to the U.S.
“It is really important to recognize the accomplishments of these women and what they went through to serve their country in wartime,” said Kim Guise, senior curator and director of curatorial affairs at the National WWII Museum.
The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest honor the United States Congress bestows. In 2022, the U.S. Congress voted 422-0 to award the 6888th with the honor. Wisconsin Rep. Gwen Moore, co-sponsor of the bill to honor the Six Triple Eight, said the recognition is long overdue. “These heroes deserve their dues, and I am so glad their story is being told,” said Moore. “I am especially honored to ensure my constituent, Ms. Anna Mae Robertson, and the many others who served with her are recognized for their selfless service.”
The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion consisted of 855 Black women. Only two women who served in the history-making unit are living as of this date.
“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,” said Major Fannie Griffin McClendon, one of the oldest living members of the Six Triple Eight. “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 women of the Six Triple Eight were sent overseas in 1945. Following its stint in England, the unit served in France.
The American Veterans Center, a supporter of the 6888 Congressional Gold Medal campaign, noted bills which have been introduced to Congress in support of the women of the Six Triple Eight: S.633 introduced in the Senate by Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) and H.R. 3138 introduced in the House by Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI-4). As previously mentioned by BLACK ENTERPRISE, award-winning film director Tyler Perry highlights the unit’s story in the 2024 Netflix documentary, “The Six Triple Eight.”
The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion will be honored with the Congressional Gold Medal during a ceremony in Emancipation Hall at the Capitol Visitor Center. The medal will be presented to the family of unit commander Lt. Col. Charity Adams Earley by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and others.
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