The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion of the Women’s Army Corps made it possible for American troops to get letters from their loved ones during World War II.
Some 80 years later, the story of these women is being told on the big screen.
“The Six Triple Eight,” which stars Kerry Washington, was written and directed by Tyler Perry. It will be in theaters starting Friday, Dec. 6, followed by a Friday, Dec. 20, release on Netflix.
The film tells the story of the only U.S. Army unit during World War II composed predominately of Black women. Most of the 6888th served as postal clerks, working 24 hours a day in three eight-hour shifts. Others served as cooks, mechanics and in various support roles.
The 6888th was tasked with clearing a three-year mail backlog in six months, which was viewed as an insurmountable feat. Led by Lt. Col. Charity Adams, whom Washington plays in the film, the battalion sorted through nearly 18 million pieces of mail — thousands of which had incomplete names and addresses.
Despite being placed in segregated housing with poorly maintained facilities and limited resources, the battalion accomplished their mission in 90 days — half the time allotted.
There are two surviving members of the 6888th, whose motto was “No Mail, Low Morale.” In 2023, Adams became the first African American woman to have an Army fort named in her honor.
