Congress Awards Congressional Gold Medal to Six Triple Eight Battalion

Congress has awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, its highest civilian honor, to the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, known as the 'Six Triple Eight,' recognizing the all-Black, all-female unit for their vital service in Europe during World War II. Deployed to England and later France, the battalion cleared a massive backlog of nearly 17 million pieces of mail in just three months, significantly boosting troop morale. Despite facing racial and gender discrimination in a segregated military, the 855 women of the Six Triple Eight worked under challenging conditions and received little recognition upon returning home. The award follows years of advocacy and bipartisan support, with lawmakers emphasizing that this recognition is long overdue. The ceremony took place in Emancipation Hall at the U.S. Capitol, a symbolic setting given its historical connection to African American labor. Only two members of the battalion are still living as of this honor.