Jenna Romaine, The Hill
All-Black female WWII unit to be awarded Congressional Gold Medal
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.
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.