SE Kansas News

Decades after their pivotal service during World War II, the Women's Army Corps 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion has been awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. Known as the "Six Triple Eight," this battalion was unique as the only all-Black, all-female unit in the United States Army to serve overseas during the war.

The battalion comprised over 850 women who worked tirelessly in shifts around the clock to clear a backlog of more than 17 million pieces of mail that had accumulated over three years. In 2018, a dedication ceremony for the 6888th Central Postal Battalion Monument took place at Buffalo Soldier Memorial Park on Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, where five members of the Six Triple Eight were honored.

A legislator who introduced the bill to award this medal expressed his personal connection to their service: "As the son of a WWII vet, I deeply appreciate the service of the Six Triple Eight women. I don't know if letters between my parents passed through their hands, but I do know that their work encouraged countless young men like my dad to keep up the fight."

After many years, these women have received recognition for their significant contributions during wartime.