What is National 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion Day?
The National 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion Day honors the all female, multi-ethnic unit that was predominantly Black and included other women of color of Puerto Rican and Mexican descent.
The mission of the 6888th unit was to clear the over two-year backlog of mail in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) during World War II. The unit was stationed in Birmingham, England, Rouen, France and Paris, France. The 6888th’s motto was “No Mail, Low Morale”. While station in Brimingham, England, the unit worked in three eight-hour shifts seven days a week to sort and redirect an average of 65,000 mail parcel per shift. The Army gave the unit 6 months to clear the backlog in England. The unit clear the backlog in 3 months. After that mission was completed, the unit was assigned to Rouen, France, again with the same mission, to sort and redirect the backlog of mail coming into France. Again, the unit clear the backlog in 3 months. Then off to Paris for the same mission. March 1946, the unit return to the United States and the unit was disbanded at Fort Dix, NJ.
Why was National 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion Day created?
This national day of recognition is in honor of one of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion members, the late PFC Deloris L. Ruddock who would have celebrated her 100th birthday on September 16, 2023. Ms. Ruddock was one of the five living veterans that attended the 6888th monument dedication on November 30, 2018 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
Since the 2018 monument dedication, the unit has received several awards including: The Army’s Meritorious Unit Commendation Award (MUC) – February 2019; The Blue Historical Unit Marker, Birmingham, England – May 2019; and The Audie Murphy Award, American Veterans Center – October 2019.
And, on March 14, 2022, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. signed the “Six Triple Eight Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2021” into Public Law 117-97.
How should National 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion Day be celebrated?
We should honor the National 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion Day by writing and mailing a card to family, friends and veterans. We should also extend our gratitude to our postal employees in acknowledgment of the work they do.