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How The All-Female, All-Black 6888th Battalion Helped Win World War II With Mail
A group of incredible women played an important and unique role in World War II boosting soldier morale
The American military has traditionally seen great contributions from people who served their country despite not receiving equal or fair treatment at home. One of the greatest examples of this was the all-female, all-Black 6888th Battalion, which was established to deliver mail overseas to American troops and government employees during World War II and made a major contribution in winning the conflict.
The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion was created in February, 1945. With several years of heavy conflict in the rear view, delivering mail to the front lines was a difficult and dangerous task that officials estimated was previously taking up to six months and more from shipping until delivery because of conditions and backlog. Mail was a vital necessity for soldiers, as the ability to correspond with loved ones at home and occasionally receive packages of creature comforts was a rare source of morale where little typically existed.
Women serving in World War II was made possible by legislation introduced in 1941 by Congresswoman Edith Rogers out of Massachusetts. Her bill…
