Latest news with #CongressionalGoldMedal
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Milwaukee's Anna Mae Robertson, one of last surviving members of World War II's famed Six Triple Eight unit, dies at 101
Anna Mae Robertson, one of the last surviving members of the famed Six Triple Eight unit, has died. She was 101. Robertson was among the 855 women in the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only all-Black female unit stationed overseas during World War II. The women were sent to Birmingham, England, to clear a nearly three-year logjam of mail. Sacks of letters were piled ceiling-high in a dark and damp warehouse, destined for homesick soldiers fighting in Europe. They came up with their own system — some were only addressed to "Junior, U.S. Army" or "Bob Smith." The battalion was charged with clearing it in six months. They cleared it in three, breaking all Army records. With the slogan 'No Mail, Low Morale,' the unit worked 24 hours a day, processing an average of 195,000 pieces of mail in three eight-hour shifts. They did it again in France. In 2022, Robertson, then 98, and other members of the Six Triple Eight received the Congressional Gold Medal. At the time, there were only six known living veterans of the unit. 'They broke barriers,' granddaughter Kenya Robertson told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel at the time. 'It took about 70 or so years for the world to know the role of Anna Robertson and the women of Six Triple Eight played in War World II.' Robertson was born in Mississippi and was living in Arkansas when her mother died. She had no way to support herself and decided to join the Army at 19 years old. Her brother, Zeredee Griffin, served in the Navy. "I felt as though we were relieving a man who could go over and fight. We could do what the men had been doing," Robertson told Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Meg Jones in 2014. After the war, Robertson visited Milwaukee to attend the wedding of a fellow Six Triple Eight member. She found a job as a nurse's aide at the VA hospital and lived in Milwaukee since. Her husband, John Robertson, died in 1982. In a May 31 statement about Robertson's passing, Democratic U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore said she joins the community in mourning her loss and remembering her trailblazing legacy. "I am thankful that my constituent, Ms. Robertson, was able to receive her flowers while she could still smell them," Moore said. More: Barrier breaker: Anna Mae Robertson played key role in stabilizing soldiers' morale during WWII After decades of little recognition or honor for their service, the story of Robertson's unit reached the big screen. "The Six Triple Eight," written and directed by Tyler Perry and starring Kerry Washington, began streaming on Netflix in December. It received an Academy Award nomination for best original song. The battalion was also featured in a 2019 documentary, produced by Wisconsin native James Theres, and the subject of a musical. In an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ahead of the film's release, Sheree Robertson described her mother as a "quiet warrior." She worked hard, raised eight children and lived a good life, Sheree said. She never expected anything in return but enjoyed the love and attention she received in recent years, she said. 'People need to realize the contributions those women made to their country and the sacrifices they made to their country when their country did not treat them with respect and dignity,' Sheree said. 'They still felt a duty to go in there and do an outstanding job.' American military units were segregated by race and gender during World War II. Members of the Six Triple Eight could not eat meals with other American soldiers. They ran their own dining facility and slept in separate barracks. Washington, who portrayed Six Triple Eight's leader Maj. Charity Adams in the film, said in a May 31 Facebook post that the day she met Robertson will be "forever cherished deeply in my heart." "Your legacy will live on through the strength of your beautiful family and in the hearts of Black people everywhere," Washington wrote. "You, and the extraordinary women of (the Six Triple Eight) you're meeting up in heaven, paved the way with grace, grit and bravery." Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter La Risa R. Lynch contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Anna Mae Robertson, member of Six Triple Eight battalion, dies at 101
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Outgoing US Capitol Police chief criticizes Trump pardons for Jan. 6 defendants
Outgoing United States Capitol Police (USCP) Chief J. Thomas Manger has sounded off on President Donald Trump's pardons of the Jan. 6 defendants – calling the day of the sweeping pardons one of the most troubling moments of his career, according to a report. Manger, who will retire later this week, has been a vocal critic of those who participated in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot and lamented Trump pardoning nearly all defendants shortly after his inauguration this year. He told Wtop "I was angry and as frustrated about that as I've ever been professionally." Trump Pardons Nearly All Jan. 6 Defendants On Inauguration Day Manger told the outlet that as discouraging as that was, it made him determined to continue to make improvements. "What it made me feel like is somebody's got to stay here and stand up for these cops," Manger said. Manger has served as USCP chief since July 2021 and was hired to rebuild the force and implement reforms to enhance security and preparedness in the wake of the Jan. 6 riot. The more than 100 reform recommendations included expanding intelligence, training and riot-response capabilities. Read On The Fox News App He has often condemned the attack, referring to it as an "insurrection" and an attack on democracy. Trump has referred to those who were imprisoned as "hostages." "Some people in this country believe January 6 wasn't that bad," Manger told WTOP. "My cops know what happened on January 6. They know what happened. They were here." Manger's police career stretches back to 1977, when he started out as an officer with the Fairfax County Police Department in Virginia. He rose to chief of department in 1998 and remained in that role until 2004. Manger became chief of police in Montgomery County, Maryland, in 2004 and held the position until his retirement in 2019. Us Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger Upset Colbert Crew Was Spared On July 23, 2021, he was appointed chief of the United States Capitol Police, succeeding Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman. When news broke that the Justice Department had agreed in principle to pay $5 million to the family of Ashli Babbitt, a former Air Force veteran who was shot dead during the Capitol Riot, Manger sent a message to his department's officers writing that he was "extremely disappointed." "In 2021, the DOJ said that there was no evidence to show that law enforcement broke the law. After a thorough investigation, it was determined to be a justified shooting. "This settlement sends a chilling message to law enforcement officers across our nation — especially those who have a protective mission like ours," Manger wrote, according to the Washington Post. In December 2022, the USCP were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal — the highest civilian honor bestowed by Congress — for their bravery on Jan. 6, 2021. Manger accepted the honor on behalf of the department. The USCP dates back to 1800, when the Congress moved from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C., and a lone watchman, John Golding, was hired to protect the Capitol Building, according to USCP website. After a number of incidents in 1827 that could have been prevented with sufficient security and surveillance, then President John Quincy Adams asked that a regular Capitol Police force be established. On May 2, 1828, Congress passed an act that expanded the police regulations of the City of Washington to include the Capitol and Capitol Square. It is on this date that the USCP commemorates its article source: Outgoing US Capitol Police chief criticizes Trump pardons for Jan. 6 defendants
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Family reacts to 6888th Battalion receiving highest honor
SAVANNAH, Ga (WSAV) — One 'Six-Triple-Eight' trailblazer, Annie Beatrice Knight, called Savannah home before she passed away in 2010, and Knight's daughter attended the Congressional Gold Medal ceremony on her mother's behalf on Tuesday. The Six Triple Eight, the only all black, all-female battalion deployed to Europe during WWII, has finally received one of the nation's highest civilian honors, the Congressional Gold Medal. The unit was tasked to tackle a backlog of millions of pieces of undelivered mail to build morale among U.S troops. Knight's daughter, Karen Jordan, said it has been a long time coming. 'The happiest part is that we did finally get the coin,' Jordan said. 'The saddest part about it is there are only two of the women left. The whole time I'm sitting there thinking, 'boy, my mother would have really loved this.'' It took 80-years for the nation to recognize the unit for their extraordinary feats. 'When you're doing a job, you're just doing it, and you just want to do your best and you're not thinking about what it means on a grander scale,' said Jordan. 'You're not thinking about how people will view it 80 years later. You just want it to do a good job. So, it's not surprising that it took 80 years for people to recognize things.' She said the 855 women left a lasting impact on generations. 'They say that if our mothers, these women, had not done the job that they did, that the black women who went into the military after feeling like they would never have had the opportunities that they had,' she said. 'They showed the military, and they showed the country that black women in the military can make a major contribution of historical significance.' Jordan said she will continue to preserve her mother's legacy and carry their story forward. 'We need we need to spend time trying to find out who our ancestors are and what they've contributed to the United States history, because we're major players in this country,' she said. 'And it's not just the few that you see in history books. I would say, if anything else, this has taught me that we need to do a lot of digging and we need to find out who we are.' Congress voted unanimously in 2022 to award the unit with the highest honor. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Congress honors WWII's All-Black, All-female battalion with Gold Medal
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – This week, in a rare moment of bipartisan unity, Congress awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, better known as the Six Triple Eight, the only all-Black, all-female unit to serve overseas during World War II. The ceremony brought together more than 300 descendants from across the country to honor the women whose work had remained largely unrecognized for decades. 'They had a painstaking job, but because they were not expected to succeed, it made them want to push forward,' said Stelena Hooper Evans, daughter of Pfc. Mildred Hooper, one of the unit's members. The Six Triple Eight was deployed to England and France in 1945 to sort a massive backlog of more than 17 million pieces of mail intended for American troops and their families. Tasked with completing the job in six months, the battalion succeeded in just three. Their work provided more than just logistical relief, it offered hope and connection during one of the darkest periods in modern history. 'And it could be something simple,' Evans said. 'Like: 'Your mother has started a new bakery.' Or it could have been a 'Dear John': 'I have left you and married your brother.'' For many descendants, the ceremony was not just an honor, but a revelation. Tremika Massey only learned about her grandmother, Pfc. Hester Givens Massey's service, while writing her obituary after her passing. 'She never talked about it,' Massey said. 'She was just a hard, stern grandmother. It all made sense later. She was over there making history, with bombs falling.' Among the 855 women who served in the unit was Lt. Col. Charity Adams Earley, the first African American woman commissioned in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps. Her son, Stanley Earley, says she would be proud. 'She'd be really happy,' he said. Despite the critical role they played, the Six Triple Eight received no formal recognition when they returned home. Many later used the G.I. Bill to pursue higher education and became leaders in their communities. 'It doesn't matter about the obstacles in life,' said Jeri Marshall, daughter of Odessa Taylor Marshall. 'It's: can you meet the challenge?' 'They were history,' Massey added. 'And we are too, because they instilled those things in us.' Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) spoke at the event, emphasizing the impact of the long-overdue recognition. 'They will never, ever be hidden figures again,' he said. Only two surviving members of the Six Triple Eight are alive today. Neither was able to attend the ceremony at the U.S. Capitol. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Six Triple Eight presented with Congressional Gold Medal by Speaker Mike Johson
WASHINGTON, D.C. (KTAL/KMSS) – Members of an elite female WWII unit that notably improved the morale for soldiers on the European battlefront were honored by Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday. During a Congressional Medal Ceremony on April 30, the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, also referred to as the Six Triple Eight, received the honor during the bipartisan event. The Six Triple Eight was the first and only all-Black, all-female unit to serve overseas in Europe during WWII. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Charity Adams Earley, the unit was instrumental in clearing the U.S. Army's backlog of over 17 million pieces of mail in just three months, which was twice as fast as the projected completion time. 'The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest honor this body can bestow. It's reserved for those whose courage and service shaped our country and our nation's story,' Speaker Johnson said. 'It's in this spirit that we gather to award this medal to the 6888, the Central Postal Directory. It's 6888, but we call it the six triple eight.' The ceremony was held in Emancipation Hall of the U.S. Capitol, and House and Senate leadership were in attendance for the momentous event. Also present were Lieutenant Colonel Charity Adams Earley's son, Stanley Earley III, and daughter, Judith Earley, who accepted the medal on behalf of the 855 women who served in the Six Triple Eight. Speaker Johnson continued his remarks saying, 'This battalion was the first and the only unit of African American women to serve overseas during World War II. As tens of thousands of Allied forces made their final push across Europe, the mail system was stretched thin from scarce resources. It was crippling under the weight of wartime logistics. Then, just as today, letters of home were very, very important. They were lifelines that grounded the soldiers. They reminded our brave heroes of all they were fighting for, it was actually waiting back at home. Morale reports during the war underscore just how important mail was to the soldiers' spirit, so much so that the phrase no mail, low morale became widespread. It was later adopted by the army as the official motto of the six triple eight yet for all the importance of mail, millions of undelivered letters piled up in dark warehouses across Europe, and those letters might well have stayed there, were it not for the work of the women that we celebrate today?' In 2024, Tyler Perry directed 'Six Triple Eight,' a biopic starring Kerry Washington as Lieutenant Colonel Charity Adams Earley, which shares the long-forgotten story of women often overlooked in WWII history. Their dedicated service kept soldiers connected to loved ones while they valiantly fought to liberate Europe. 'Okay, these women and the entire Six Triple Eight, are great American patriots, loyal to a nation that, for far too long, failed to return that favor. And I'm glad to say that that's changing, and we're doing that here today,' Speaker Johnson said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
