The SixTripleEight

By James William Theres

Just when you thought every American story about World War II had been told, along comes the 6888 Central Postal Directory Battalion (The SixTripleEight), the only all-black female unit to serve in Europe during the war. Led by the highest-ranking black female in the Army, they faced racism, sexism, and the Nazis.The documentary includes interviews with the surviving seven members of the 855 women of the SixTripleEight.  Their mission was to clear the backlog of mail stuck in warehouses in Birmingham, England and Rouen, France. They completed this enormous task in six months distributing over 17 million pieces of mail.  Their story was hidden in American military history until now. On November 30, 2018, a monument was dedicated in their honor at Buffalo Soldier Park, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. On February 20, 2019, the Secretary of the Army approved the Meritorious Unit Commendation for the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion for the period of service March 4, 1945 to March 30, 1946. On February 28, 2019, Sen. Jerry Moran submitted legislation, the Six Triple Eight Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2019, for the unit to receive the nation's highest civilian award. On May 19, 2019, US Ambassador Robert Wood Johnson dedicated a plaque to the women at King Edward's School in Birmingham, England where the women were stationed in 1945. On May 27, 2019, three women of the SixTripleEight, Maybelle Campbell, Delores L. Ruddock, and Indiana Hunt Martin, served as Grand Marshals of Washington D.C. Memorial Day parade. The film screened to enthusiastic audiences throughout the UK, May 13-17, 2019. Birmingham, London, Manchester, Cardiff, Newcastle, and Glasgow as guests of the US Ambassador in London, England.