Mary Jewel BARLOW

Source : Dominique Potier

CEMTERY TEMPORARY of  St André N°3572 

Story of Cemetery Temporary

Map of Normandy American Cemetery

Source : Donna Esposito

PFC Mary J. Barlow was a member of the 6888 Central Postal Directory Battalion, nicknamed the six-triple eight.

This battalion of 850 women was the only all-black Women’s Army Corp unit to be deployed to Europe in WW2.

It was commanded by L/C Charity Adams.

They were postal clerks and were ordered to the UK in early 1945 to fix the 4-6 months long backlog of mail to the troops. They were hugely successful cutting the backlog from months to just a few weeks.

In June 1945 the six triple eight moved to Rouen, France to continue their postal duties. On July 8^th Mary and two other members of her unit - Sgt Dolores M. Browne and PFC Mary H. Bankston were involved in a fatal jeep accident.

Both Marys were killed instantly while Dolores succumbed to her injuries on July 13^th.

They are three of the four women buried in the Normandy American Cemetery, the other being Elizabeth Richardson, an American Red Cross volunteer.

Bust of Major Charity ADAMS EARLEY

Buffalo Soldiers Monument Park

Source : Stephenambrosetours.com

Grave of Mary Jewel BARLOW

Source : JF Pellouais

Grave of Dolores Mercedes BROWNE

Wounded on July 8, 1945, she died on July 13, 1945.

Source : JF Pellouais

Grave of Mary H. BANKSTON

Source : JF Pellouais

6888^th Central Postal Directory Battalion

By Kevin M. Hymel

The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion was a unique U.S. Army unit and it had the distinction of being the only all-African American, all-female unit sent overseas during World War II. The women kept mail flowing to nearly seven million soldiers in the European Theater of Operations (ETO).

Almost immediately after leaving the United States in early 1945, the women who would eventually make up the 6888th were introduced to the rigors of war. During the trip across the Atlantic Ocean German U-boats forced the convoy of troop ships to change course. The event had a chilling effect on the women. “Darn tootin’ I got scared,” recalled Mary Ragland. “Especially when you can’t see land all around” she added. Once the women arrived in England on 14 February 1945, they had another scare. As they disembarked from their ship, a German V1 rocket, also known as a “Buzz Bomb” for the sound of its engine, dove into the area. As the noise of the engine filled the air, the women ran for cover. No one was killed, but the event served as a harsh reminder that even behind the lines, soldiers were at risk at all times.

The 6888th was organized on 4 March 1945 at Birmingham, England, and pitched mail at a facility there until after the end of the war in Europe in May. With approximately 850 officers and enlisted personnel, this Women’s Army Corps (WAC) unit was organized into four postal directory companies—A, B, C, and D—and a Headquarters company, which handled all administrative and service support duties.

Major Charity Adams commanded the battalion. She had joined the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC—the predecessor to the WAC) in 1942 and became the first African American woman to receive an Army commission. She ended the war as a lieutenant colonel and as the highest ranking black woman in the Army.

The women of the 6888th were discouraged when they discovered warehouses crammed from floor to ceiling with mail and packages that had not been delivered for at least two years. Rats the size of cats had broken into some of the Christmas care packages for front line soldiers and eaten their contents. The women went to work, organizing a system that would break the bottleneck of undelivered mail.

Source : The Six Triple Eight documentary (Facebook)

Source : The Six Triple Eight documentary (Facebook)

WACs from the 6888^th Central Postal Directory Battalion take part in a parade in Rouen, France, on 27 May 1945, following a ceremony honoring Joan of Arc. (National Archives)