Picture this: it’s 1945 and soldiers on the frontlines eagerly await a letter from their loved ones back home. But their letters are undelivered, stuck in a backlog of over 17 million pieces of mail. Enter Major Charity Adams, a trailblazing African-American woman who led the all-black, all-female 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion to clear that massive backlog and boost the morale of soldiers fighting for our country.
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Born in Columbia, South Carolina in 1918, Adams was one of only a few black women accepted into the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps, which later became the Women’s Army Corps. Her impressive leadership skills quickly caught the eye of her superiors, and she was later commissioned as the corps’ first black woman officer and the first to command a battalion of black women.
But it wasn’t all smooth sailing for Adams and her battalion. They faced significant challenges in the segregated army of the time. Nevertheless, in 1945, Adams was given the daunting task of leading over 800 women to clear the massive backlog of mail in Europe. And let me tell you, in a world where instant messaging and emails are the norm, it’s easy to forget just how important mail was to soldiers back then. Letters from home were the lifeline for soldiers, and the government knew how crucial it was to keep morale up. As the war effort increased, so did the volume of mail, overwhelming the military postal system.
The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion became a beacon of hope for soldiers waiting for their letters. Adams led a team of highly skilled women experts in typing and stenography who were recruited from all over the United States. They worked tirelessly, often in cold, damp conditions with no running water or heat. Despite these challenging circumstances, the women worked around the clock, 8-10 hours a day, 7 days a week. In just a few months, they cleared through all 17 million pieces of mail, improving the efficiency of the postal service and giving soldiers the boost they needed.
Adams continued to serve in the military after the war, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel. She was a fierce advocate for women’s and civil rights, using her position to improve opportunities for women and African Americans in the military and beyond. Her incredible achievements were recognized in 1996 when she was posthumously inducted into the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame.
Major Charity Adams was a true trailblazer, breaking down barriers and paving the way for future generations of women and African Americans in the military. Her legacy continues to inspire and motivate people to break down barriers and achieve their dreams. She will always be remembered as a hero and a true pioneer in the fight for equality.
