Thread by @NerdPyle

In 1944, the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion of the US Women's Army Corps was formed. It would be the only all-Black, all-women battalion to serve overseas during WW2. Its job: end a massive backlog of mail that had not reached 7 million US soldiers in Europe.
/thread

824 enlisted & 31 officers, all Black women, trained at Fort Oglethorpe, GA, commanded by Major Charity Edna Adams. They learned to identify enemy aircraft, climb ropes, evacuate ships, & took long forced marches with rucksacks. They left for Europe in Feb 1945.
/2

Chased by U-boats, they arrived in England & were immediately attacked by nazi V-1 rocket. Heading to Birmingham, they found warehouses full of millions of pieces of undelivered mail, often with rotting food covered in rats. They had their work cut out for them.
/3

The 6888th devised its own plan & worked 3 shifts, 7 days a week to clear the backlog. Letters were often addressed only to a first name or nickname. They created a paper trail of 7 million soldiers' serial numbers to match to names. Each shift handled ~65,000 pieces of mail
/4

Segregated from white units, they created their own mess hall, recreation facilities, & hair salon. Besides mail clerks, they provided their own cooks, mechanics, police, & support. British pubs welcomed them even though the American Red Cross denied them entry.
/5

The backlog cleared, they shipped out to Rouen, France in May, where they found another massive backlog; some mail 3 years undelivered. They cleared it too. Their Military Police not allowed weapons, they learned jujitsu to keep uninvited civillians out of their compound.
/6

Moving to Paris & the war over, the 6888th kept up its motto "No mail, low morale." They would continue until the unit returned to the US in Feb 1946. It was disbanded at Fort Dix, NJ. There was no public recognition for their service
/7

In 2009 the unit was finally honored at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery. A memorial was later laid in 2018 at the Buffalo Soldier Military Park at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
/8

For more information on the "Six Triple Eight", I recommend the US Army's Center of Miltary History history.army.mil/html/topics/af… & the excellent womenofthe6888th.org

/f