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2024 SESSION

24100732D
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 57
Offered January 10, 2024
Prefiled January 10, 2024
Designating September 16, in 2024 and in each succeeding year, as 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion Day in Virginia.
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Patrons-- Glass, Clark, Mundon King, Price and Sewell
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Referred to Committee on Rules
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WHEREAS, in an effort to mobilize its full population to support the war effort during World War II, the United States established the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps, later known as the Women's Army Corps (WAC), in 1942; and

WHEREAS, while women of all ethnicities often faced hostility and ridicule when seeking to enlist in the military, African American women faced additional challenges due to widespread racial segregation; and

WHEREAS, many military recruiters refused to provide enlistment documents or otherwise assist African American applicants, and even after enlistment, these women faced blatant discrimination in duty assignments; women who had worked as teachers or in professional settings often found themselves working as cooks, bakers, or cleaners in the military; and

WHEREAS, women's rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune led efforts to fight for equal treatment of African Americans in the WAC, and in December 1944, the U.S. Department of War formed the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, an all-African American women's unit led by Major Charity Adams; and

WHEREAS, the 6888th Battalion trained at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, then sailed to Europe aboard a former cruise ship in February 1945; the unit arrived in Birmingham, England, and was stationed at King's Edward's School; and

WHEREAS, as a postal directory unit, the 6888th Battalion was responsible for all mail that could not be delivered on its first attempt, often because the sender had used an incomplete or outdated address; other challenges included locating combat units on the move and differentiating between individuals with similar names, such as the 7,500 United States personnel all named Robert Smith deployed to Europe at the time; and

WHEREAS, upon arrival, the 6888th Battalion was greeted with a staggering backlog of undelivered mail, including stacks of mailbags and airplane hangars full of Christmas packages, and given six months to ensure all items were delivered to its intended recipients; and

WHEREAS, the 6888th Battalion was divided into a headquarters company and four postal directory companies made up of locator clerks who tracked unit addresses and postal clerks who were assigned to alphabetical ranges of surnames; and

WHEREAS, working around the clock in three eight-hour shifts, the 6888th Battalion exceeded expectations and processed tens of thousands of letters and packages in only three months; and

WHEREAS, in May 1945, not long after Victory in Europe Day, the 6888th Battalion relocated to Rouen, France, where it continued to receive and distribute mail and provided critical support to other civilian and military African American women in Europe at the time; and

WHEREAS, in October of the same year, the unit moved to Paris and nearly a third of its members were discharged home the following month; and

WHEREAS, by the end of the war, the 6888th Battalion had cemented its reputation as a cohesive and highly motivated unit that received accolades for its exemplary discipline and effectiveness; the unit played not only a vital role in maintaining morale, but also broke down barriers of racial segregation and gender discrimination that empowered future women of color to serve their nation with honor and dignity; and

WHEREAS, the 6888th Battalion was disbanded at Fort Dix, New Jersey, in February 1946 and received little public recognition at the time; and

WHEREAS, in recent years, the 6888th Battalion has been honored by various military organizations and has been the subject of numerous film and theater projects, including a Netflix movie that is currently in production titled Six Triple Eight; and

WHEREAS, in 2022, President Joseph Biden signed bipartisan legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to surviving members of the 6888th Battalion; and

WHEREAS, 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion Day provides an opportunity to Virginians to learn more about this exceptional unit, the contributions made by all women in World War II, and the unique challenges faced by women members of the United States Armed Forces; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly designate September 16, in 2024 and in each succeeding year, as 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion Day; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates transmit a copy of this resolution to former members of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion or their families so that they may be apprised of the sense of the General Assembly of Virginia in this matter; and, be it

RESOLVED FINALLY, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates post the designation of this day on the General Assembly's website.