A concurrent RESOLUTION

 

TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE MEMBERS OF THE 6888TH CENTRAL POSTAL DIRECTORY BATTALION OF THE WOMEN'S ARMY CORPS AND TO COMMEND THEM AND THEIR BATTALION FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE UNITED STATES MILITARY DURING WORLD WAR II.

 

Whereas, in November 1944, the United States War Department removed the restrictions preventing African American women from enlisting in the Women's Army Corps, which resulted in the establishment of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion; and

 

Whereas, the 6888th Battalion was a distinctive unit within the United States Army, notable for being the sole Women's Army Corps battalion deployed to the European Theater of Operations during World War II that was entirely comprised of African American women; and

 

Whereas, eight hundred fifty-five African American women, consisting of eight hundred twenty-four enlisted personnel and thirty-one officers, served in the 6888th Battalion, which was commissioned from February 1945 to March 1946, several of whom were from the State of South Carolina; and

 

Whereas, the primary objective of the 6888th Battalion was to organize and process over seventeen million pieces of correspondence for personnel from the United States: soldiers, sailors, and airmen, as well as American Red Cross workers and uniformed civilian specialists, stationed in Europe. This effort was aimed at serving approximately three million individuals who were waiting for their mail in the European Theater of Operations; and

 

Whereas, the 6888th Battalion underwent training at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, where they acquired skills in identifying enemy aircraft, vessels, and weaponry. Their training included techniques for climbing ropes, jumping over trenches, and crawling under logs while donning gas masks. Additionally, they practiced boarding and evacuating ships, as well as marching long distances while carrying rucksacks; and

 

Whereas, in February 1945, the initial contingent of the 6888th Battalion departed from Camp Shank in New York, on a transatlantic journey aboard the Ile de France. During this voyage, the ship encountered perilous situations, including near misses with German U-boats and a German V-1 rocket explosion as the ship approached the dock in Glasgow, Scotland. When they arrived by train in Birmingham, England, they encountered warehouses filled to capacity with letters and packages; and

 

Whereas, the 6888th Battalion, despite facing air raids and harsh working conditions in dim, unheated aircraft hangars infested with rats and featuring broken windows, successfully created an innovative mail tracking system. They operated seven days a week in three distinct eight-hour shifts, processed an average of sixty-five thousand parcels per shift, and managed to eliminate a six-month backlog in just three months; and

 

Whereas, the 6888th Battalion subsequently moved to its next duty station in Rouen, France, where it discovered a backlog of undelivered mail that had accumulated over a period of three years. The battalion efficiently processed and resolved this backlog within a span of five months; and

 

Whereas, following the completion of its final mission in Paris, France, the last members of the 6888th Battalion made their way back to the United States on the SS Claymont Victory. The battalion was officially disbanded in March 1946 at Fort Dix, New Jersey, without any parade, public acknowledgment, or formal recognition of its achievements; and

 

Whereas, the 6888th Battalion upheld its motto, "No mail, low morale," by delivering crucial support to the United States military in Europe. They facilitated communication between servicemembers and their families, resulting in remarkable success and effectiveness in addressing the military's postal challenges; and

 

Whereas, the 6888th Battalion comprised the largest Women's Army Corps battalion of African American women to serve abroad, challenging stereotypes and signifying a shift in both racial and gender dynamics within the military; and

 

Whereas, during their service, the 6888th Battalion was awarded the Women's Army Corps Service Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal; and

 

Whereas, on February 25, 2009, the 6888th Battalion was honored by President Barack Obama at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery. On November 30, 2018, a monument inscribed "Women of Determination, Dedication and Distinction" was dedicated to the 6888th Battalion at the Buffalo Soldier Commemorative Area in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; and

 

Whereas, on February 20, 2019, the Army awarded the 6888th Battalion the Meritorious Unit Commendation for Meritorious Service during Military Operations from February 15, 1945, to March 4, 1946. On March 14, 2022, President Joseph Biden signed the "Six Triple Eight" Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2021 awarding all members of the 6888th Battalion with Congressional Gold Medals. Now, therefore,

 

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

 

That the members of the South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, recognize and honor the members of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion of the Women's Army Corps and commend them and their battalion for their outstanding contributions to the United States military during World War II.

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