Was the 6888th Battalion real?

On By Littum

The six triple eightnow streaming on Netflix, offers a long-awaited tribute to the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only all-black, all-female battalion that served overseas during World War II. Directed by Tyler Perry, the film tells the story, inspired by true events, of the women tasked with sorting millions of backlogged mail for American soldiers in Europe. Although vital to the war effort, their service has been largely overlooked until recently.

Under the leadership of Major Charity Adams (played by Kerry Washington in the film), the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion overcame challenges on several fronts. Not only did they endure discrimination from their fellow Americans, but once posted overseas, they also faced the constant threat of German attack. As the veteran Anna Tarryk put it “First we had to fight separation, second was the war, and third was the men.”

In Tyler Perry’s most ambitious and possibly his most accomplished film to date, the story unfortunately falls short of capturing the full context of the trailblazing women at its core. We know a little about May. Charity Adams or the women who stood with her, as well as their motivations, sacrifices and internal conflicts. Here’s what you need to know about the real women behind Six Triple Eight and the legacy they left behind.

The Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps was established in 1942.

Women had long served in the army as nurses or cooks, but when the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 pushed the United States into World War II, everything changed. On May 14, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a bill creation of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC), which allowed women to serve in non-combat roles such as “messengers, military postal workers, drivers, and telephone and telegraph operators,” according to Political. Eventually the corps became renamed the Women’s Army Corps, strengthen their place in history. A few years later in 1948, Congress passed the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act, which gave women the right to function as permanent members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force, just like their male counterparts.

At 23, Charity Adams, a middle school teacher from Columbia, South Carolina, answered the call to serve, attracted by the promise of career and leadership opportunities, according to Biography. She became the first black woman to serve as an officer of the WAC and commanded the legendary 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion – Six Triple Eight – forever changing military history.

the six triple eight lr kerry washington as major charity adams and milauna jackson as lt campbell in the six triple eight cr laura radford perry well movie 2 courtesy of netflix

Netflix

Kerry Washington (center) as May. Charity Adams.

In the film, we don’t see Adams’ journey to her position or really understand how she reached that leadership role. Instead, we meet her only through the lens of a tough leader preparing a group of hopeful women for what lies ahead.

The 6888th battalion broke barriers in the military.

As depicted in the Netflix movie, the 6888th is the largest group of black women who served overseas during World War II. According to The Library of Congressthe unit was composed primarily of African-American women, with some members of Hispanic and Caribbean descent, aged 17 to 52, who came together to prove their worth in a male-dominated military environment.

The battalion was formed in December 1944 with a singular mission: to clear a massive backlog of undelivered mail for US soldiers stationed in Europe. It was believed that the mail, filled with letters, photographs and gifts from loved ones, would provide a vital boost to the morale of troops fighting on the front line.

6888th Central Post Directory Battalion, 1945

Archive photos//Getty Images

Military personnel of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion take part in a parade in Rouen, France, 1945.

The creation of 6888. battalion was a direct response to the Army’s refusal to send black women overseas even though their white counterparts had been deployed. Although the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) opened doors for women to serve in the military, black women were initially left out. It wasn’t until civil rights leaders like Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt pressured for change that black women were finally allowed to serve in Europe.

The six triple eight, composed of 31 officers and 824 enlisted womenfaced discrimination from the very system they were supposed to serve. Yet their skill, dedication and resilience proved impossible to ignore. One of the most significant moments in their history came when May. Charity Adams stood up to a white general who tried to inspect his soldiers’ quarters while they were on duty. With a fierce determination, Adams is famous replied“Over my dead body, sir”, a line thankfully included in the film as one of its most powerful scenes. This moment of defiance was a powerful testament to the leadership and courage that defined the women of 6888.

They worked quickly, even under terrible circumstances.

Although the film does not fully capture harsh conditions the women faced, the reality was brutal. Once in Birmingham, England, the 6888th Battalion worked in unheated cold storage, rats chewing letters and sorting undelivered mail in blackout conditions. Without windows for natural light, many suffered eye strain as they worked long, exhausting shifts.

Despite these conditions, the 6888th worked tirelessly in eight-hour shifts, processing an average of 65,000 pieces of mail per day. shift and cleared the backlog in just three months, according to New York Times— half the time allotted to them. Their efficiency was so remarkable that they were later called to Rouen, France, where they cleared an even larger backlog of three years, which took them only five months. However, the film misses the chance to fully highlight the systems and strategies they put in place to handle such a monumental task.

6888th Central Post Directory Battalion, 1945

Archive photos//Getty Images

American Women’s Army Corps (WAC) Captain Mary Kearney and US WAC Commanding Officer Major Charity Adams inspect the first arrivals of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion at a temporary post in Birmingham, West Midlands, England, February 1945.

It took 70 years for official recognition.

In the film, when the soldiers finally start receiving their mail, a group of them salute and applaud the black female battalion, and it feels like the women are finally getting the recognition they deserve. But in reality it would take over 70 years for the 6888th to receive the recognition they received. Despite their critical role in maintaining morale by ensuring soldiers remained connected to their families, it was not until 2022 that they became awarded congressional gold medal.

“The lack of recognition these black women experienced upon their return typifies the general indifference and even hostility that black veterans generally received from the broader American public after World War II,” said archivist Damani Davis. the national archive.

the six triple eight lr sarah jeffrey as dolores washington, pepi sonuga as elaine white, milauna jackson as captain campbell, moriah brown as inez, shanice shantay as johnnie mae and ebony obsidian as lena derriecott king in six triple eight cr laura radford perry well movie 2 loaned by netflix

Netflix

Sarah Jeffrey as Dolores Washington, Pepi Sonuga as Elaine White, Milauna Jackson as Captain Campbell, Moriah Brown as Inez, Shanice Shantay as Johnnie Mae and Ebony Obsidian as Lena Derriecott King in The six triple eight.

Major Charity Adams died aged 83.

After the war, Adams obtained a Master of Arts degree from The Ohio State University and worked in various academic administration roles. She continued to serve her community by founding the Black Leadership Development Program and working with organizations such as the American Red Cross.

In 1996, the Smithsonian National Postal Museum honored Adams for her contributions to the war effort. She passed on January 13, 2002, aged 83.

According to Netflix’s Tudumonly two veterans of the 6888th Battalion are still alive: Fannie McClendon and Anna Mae Robertson.