When the Sisters Came Marching Home

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Description

African-American women in the military service did not receive proper recognition for their service. Reflecting that apartheid custom, the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion was the only African-American WAC unit to serve overseas in WWII. This unit was responsible for redirecting the mail to the GI's on the battlefield, a Sisyphean feat, considering that troops were constantly on the move. When the 6888th arrived in England, for example, there was a backlog of more than three million pieces of undelivered mail. The all-Black unit broke all records in solving the problem. They worked day and night in eight-hour shifts, averaging more than 65,000 pieces of mail, and won the praises and admiration of the Army brass. Although the 6888th was considered one of the best units in the women's army, black or white, it was the only overseas unit during WWII that did not receive a citation. This program from Tony Brown's Journal tells their story.