The Garden State is set to celebrate Six Triple Eight Day on May 18, 2025, to celebrate the service of the all Black, all female battalion who served to make sure letters from home got to the troops overseas during World War II.
In an effort to honor the women who served in the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion -- including the 28 women from New Jersey among their ranks -- the Garden State has passed a resolution that will see May 18, every year, celebrated as Six Triple Eight Day.
"The Senate’s approval of this resolution helps ensure that the courage and contributions of the women of the 6888th Battalion are permanently honored," said NJ State Senator Shirley Turner (D-Mercer/Hunterdon), in a statement on the resolution. "These women stepped forward during one of the world’s most turbulent times, overcoming racial and gender barriers with resilience and grace. Their service was vital to the war effort and is a powerful reminder of the strength and determination Black women have always shown in the face of injustice."
Turner, along with NJ State Senator Renee Burgess (D-Essex/Union), have co-sponsored a resolution that will recognize the battalion, an all Black, all female unit that served during World War II, every year with a day set aside to honor their service.
As detailed by state officials in a statement, the Six Triple Eight was a battalion made up of approximately 855 officers and enlisted personnel tasked with processing a backlog of undelivered mail during wartime.
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Deployed to Scotland and England in early 1945, New Jersey officials said the battalion faced "immense challenges, from a staggering backlog of undelivered mail to grueling conditions and pervasive racism and sexism."
In just three months, officials said, the battalion was about to process17.5 million letters and packaged to American soldiers stationed across Europe to help keep them connected to friends and family.
Following their success in England, the Six Triple Eight was sent to France where they again exceeded expectations, completing their mission three months ahead of schedule, officials said.
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"Their unmatched efficiency and dedication shattered harmful stereotypes and demonstrated their unyielding resolve," state officials said in a statement. "After returning to the United States less than a year later, they were disbanded at Fort Dix, New Jersey, with little recognition at the time."
On March 14, 2022, former President Joe Biden signed legislation awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to the Six Triple Eight, honoring the battalion and the six surviving members at that time for their exceptional service.
With this day, New Jersey legislators are looking to recognize the battalion, and the 28 women from the Garden State who served in their ranks:
- Velma Jerome Arkward
- Gladys Beatrice Avant
- Bernice Axam
- Dorothy Dale Birkhead
- Gladys Eva Blount
- Willamae Boatright
- Victoria Busby
- Lillian Butterfield
- Daisy Bell Dinkins
- Sylvia Gillis
- Hester Givens
- Ada Holley
- Johnita Alyse Johnson
- Lillian Willene Johnson
- Dolores Maime Johnson
- Edith Marguerite Linzey
- Vermeil Elmira McMillan
- Doretha Miller
- Queen Esther Moore
- Georgiana Morton
- Edith Frances Murray
- Caroline Elizabeth Smith
- Marjorie Randolph Suggs
- Catherine Turner
- Marion Van Orkey
- Breda Violet Williams
- Heather Riley Withers
- Lauretta Wray
"For too long, the legacy of the Six Triple Eight Battalion has been left out of mainstream history," said Burgess in a statement. "These fearless women broke barriers and showed what it means to rise above discrimination and adversity. By officially designating Six Triple Eight Day, we uplift their story and the sacrifices they made, especially the 28 New Jerseyans who stood among their ranks. Their legacy will now be cemented in the history of our state."
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