House Committee Begins Hearings on Bill to Recognize All-Women's Battalion

COLUMBUS – State Representative Melanie Miller (R-Ashland) Wednesday provided sponsor testimony on House Bill 204, legislation to recognize 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, before the House Veterans and Military Development Committee. Miller is sponsoring the legislation alongside State Representative Erika White (D-Toledo).

House Bill 204 will designate March 9th of each year in Ohio as a day to remember and honor the service of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only all-Black women’s unit that served overseas during World War II. 

“These remarkable women are worthy of recognition as the unsung heroes of World War II,” said Miller during sponsor testimony. “They preserved through numerous obstacles and challenges.  Accomplishing their mission was critical to boosting the morale of the American people and American soldiers—making the impossible, possible!”

The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, nicknamed the “Six Triple Eight,” included 855 women and was led by Major Charity Adams, the highest ranking black female officer in the US Army in World War II.   

The battalion worked 7 days a week, in 3 shifts, processing and delivering mail to the troops fighting in Europe.  Each shift handled an estimated 65,000 pieces of mail.  In total, the unit handled mail for over 4 million military and civilian personnel and untangled massive mail backlogs in the UK and France.  A task that military leaders estimated to take six months, the battalion completed the task in three months.  

The battalion was disbanded on March 9, 1946 at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey.

House Bill 204 awaits further consideration from the House Veterans and Military Development Committee.