H 4085

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
Bill 4085
Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)
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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This web page was last updated on February 25, 2025 at 01:15 PM