State designation
Under legislation approved by the Ohio House and Senate and signed ceremonially with bipartisan sponsors present, March 9 will be observed annually as 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion Day. The measure calls on Ohioans to remember the battalion’s service and sacrifice and to educate future generations about its role in both the war effort and the broader struggle for racial and gender equality.
State Rep. Melanie Miller, a leading sponsor of the bill, said the designation is meant to elevate the story of a unit long overlooked in mainstream World War II narratives. “These remarkable women overcame numerous obstacles and left behind a legacy of service as the unsung heroes of WWII,” Miller said when the House advanced the measure with unanimous support.
The “Six Triple Eight”
Formed in 1944, the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion was created after civil rights leaders and African American organizations pressed the War Department to allow Black women in the Women’s Army Corps to serve overseas. The battalion eventually comprised 855 women and was led by Major Charity Adams, an Ohio native who became the highest-ranking Black female officer in the U.S. Army during the war.archives+3
Nicknamed the “Six Triple Eight,” the unit adopted the motto “No mail, low morale” to capture the stakes of its mission. Operating as a largely self-sufficient battalion, its members included postal clerks, medics, cooks, mechanics, and administrative staff.
Mission overseas
When the 6888th arrived in Birmingham, England, in early 1945, they found warehouses packed floor-to-ceiling with undelivered letters and packages addressed to American troops, Red Cross workers, and government personnel across Europe. The facilities were poorly lit, inadequately heated, and cluttered with parcels that often carried only partial names or outdated unit information.
To tackle the backlog, the women organized three eight-hour shifts operating around the clock, seven days a week. They built and maintained a card index of roughly seven million entries to track service members with similar names, using serial numbers to distinguish recipients and speed delivery.
Impact and recognition
Military leaders initially estimated it would take at least six months to clear the European mail backlog, but the 6888th completed the task in about half that time. In all, the unit processed mail for more than four million military and civilian personnel, helping restore a crucial lifeline between front-line troops and families at home.
For decades after the war, the battalion’s service received limited public recognition, even as some of its members continued to break barriers in civilian life. In March 2022, the women of the Six Triple Eight were collectively awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, one of the nation’s highest civilian honors, for both their wartime achievements and their role in advancing racial and gender equality.
Ohio’s connection
Ohio lawmakers emphasized that the new state observance also honors the legacy of Maj. Charity Adams, who grew up in the state before leading the battalion overseas. Supporters say tying the date to a formal annual observance ensures that the contributions of Adams and her fellow soldiers will be taught and commemorated in communities, schools, and veterans’ organizations across Ohio.
“Establishing March 9th to honor and commemorate the only all-Black, all-female battalion to serve overseas during World War II – and one that was led by Ohio’s own Major Charity Adams – will help ensure that future generations understand our victory over tyranny was also a victory for gender and racial equality,” one of the bill’s sponsors said as the legislation moved forward. With the designation now in place, Ohio joins ongoing national efforts to bring the Six Triple Eight’s story out of the shadows and into the public record.