By: Jordan Meadows
Staff Writer
Formed in 1944, the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion was the only all-Black, all-female battalion to serve both in the U.S. and Europe during World War II. Initially comprising 31 officers and 824 enlisted personnel—all women from the Women’s Army Corps, the Army Service Forces, and the Army Air Forces—the battalion was established to address a critical shortage of postal officers and an overwhelming backlog of mail.
Although initially restricted to white women, Black women were eventually admitted to the battalion following advocacy from First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and civil rights leader Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, though segregation persisted.
During the war, mail delivery was crucial for maintaining troop morale. Many letters and packages were inadequately addressed, often containing only the first name of the recipient or using common names and nicknames.
The 6888th was assigned the formidable task of clearing a backlog of 17 million mail pieces. This mission was executed under challenging conditions, including severe cold and instances of racial and sexist bias. The women of the battalion not only worked around the clock but also faced harsh working conditions and occasional hostility from some white male soldiers who resented their presence.
The “Six Triple Eight” battalion was led by Major Charity Edna Adams, who later became Lieutenant Colonel Charity Edna Earley. After training at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, the 6888th embarked for Britain in 1945. Their voyage was perilous, with the ship evading German U-boats before safely arriving in Glasgow, Scotland.
Upon reaching Europe, the battalion was stationed in Birmingham, England, where they developed an innovative system to sort the vast volume of mail. This system involved creating a comprehensive card index to manage and track mail, organized by shared and similar names of troops, which greatly facilitated the processing of over four million pieces of mail. The women of the 6888th worked in three shifts, 24 hours a day, handling approximately 65,000 pieces of mail per shift.
The battalion’s efficiency extended beyond Birmingham. After clearing the backlog there, they moved to France in May 1945 and later to Rouen to address another significant mail backlog, some of which was three years old. They even used jujitsu for security, as they were not armed.
By October 1945, the 6888th had successfully managed the mail crises in Birmingham and Rouen and was sent to Paris. There, they enjoyed a brief period of luxury in a high-class hotel before their disbandment in early 1946. The 6888th also participated in a parade ceremony at the site where Joan of Arc was executed; many members felt they faced less discrimination in Europe than in the U.S.
Despite their significant contributions, the 6888th received little recognition upon their return home. The unit was disbanded at Fort Dix, New Jersey, and its members were awarded the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal.
The 6888th has received several tributes in recent years. In 2009, they were honored at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery by President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. In 2016, the battalion was inducted into the U.S. Army Women’s Foundation Hall of Fame. In 2018, Fort Leavenworth dedicated a monument to the 6888th.
In 2019, the U.S. Army awarded them a Meritorious Unit Commendation, and the U.S. Ambassador to the UK, Woody Johnson, presented a blue plaque to King Edward’s School in Birmingham to commemorate their achievements. The plaque is now featured on guided tours organized by Birmingham’s Black Heritage Walks Network.
In 2021, the U.S. Senate introduced bipartisan legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the members of the Women’s Army Corps assigned to the 6888th. Finally, in 2022, President Biden signed a bipartisan bill to award the battalion the Congressional Gold Medal.
As of 2022, only six members of the 6888th remain alive, including 101-year-old Fannie McClendon. Their legacy serves as a powerful reminder of the vital contributions of Black women in the military—contributions that are often overlooked but were crucial to the success of the Allied forces during World War II.
Millie Dunn Veasey, originally from Raleigh, North Carolina, was one of over 25 battalion members from the state. After her service, she used the G.I. Bill to attend St. Augustine’s College, where she earned a degree in business administration. Following graduation, she taught in Virginia and later pursued a master’s degree in business administration at North Carolina Central University. She spent 30 years working in administrative roles at St. Augustine’s before retiring in 1988.
Veasey was also a prominent civil rights activist. She participated in Raleigh lunch counter sit-ins, helped organize the 1963 March on Washington, and served as the Raleigh Chapter president of the NAACP from 1965 to 1968, becoming the first woman in that role. She played a key role in arranging Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s visit to Raleigh in 1966. Millie Dunn Veasey passed away on March 9, 2018, at age 100, and was buried in Raleigh National Cemetery.
