Story at a glance
- The House unanimously voted on Monday to honor the only all-female, Black unit that was deployed to Europe during World War II with the Congressional Gold Medal.
- The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion was sent overseas during the war to address a multimillion-letter backlog of mail for U.S. troops.
- Of the original 855 members of the Six Triple Eight, only seven are still alive.
The House unanimously voted on Monday to honor the only all-female, Black unit that was deployed to Europe during World War II with the Congressional Gold Medal.
After passing the Senate last year, Monday’s 422-0 vote will send the bill to President Biden’s desk, in hopes he will sign off on awarding the medal to the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion.
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Known as the Six Triple Eight, the unit made history as the only all-Black and all-female battalion sent overseas during the war to address a multimillion-letter backlog of mail for U.S. troops.
“Despite facing racism and sexism, Major Fannie McClendon and the brave women of the ‘Six-Triple-Eight’ answered the call of duty during World War II,” Rep. Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.), an original co-sponsor of the bill, said in a press release. “This is a long overdue recognition of our gratitude for their service to their country.”
Of the original 855 members of the Six Triple Eight, only seven, including McClendon, are still alive.
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