This is such an inspiring Pick Me Up this morning! A 102-year-old World War II veteran is awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. In 1943 Romay Davis followed her five brothers by enlisting in the Army and was assigned to the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, also known as the “Six-Triple-Eight.” The 6888th was charged with sorting and clearing out a massive backlog of letters and packages that had accumulated in warehouses in Europe by the end of WWII. Davis and the more than 800 other Black women that made up her battalion, worked 24 hours a day, seven days a week in shifts, processing more than 65-thousand items each shift. Their motto was “No Mail, Low Morale.” Defying all expectations, the women of the 6888th managed to clear out six months of backlogged mail in just three months. “The mail situation was in such horrid shape they didn’t think the girls could do it,” Davis recalls. “But they proved a point.”
So, President Biden signed a bill authorizing the Congressional Gold Medal for the 6888th. The actual medals won’t be ready for a few months, but it was decided to hold an event for Davis and the five other surviving members of her battalion due to their advanced age. Davis was presented with the medal citation and a wartime uniform to replace hers that was stolen years ago. The crowd gave her a standing ovation and many were brought to tears over the occasion. Congratulations to Miss Davis and the rest of the Six Triple Eight!