Dolores Mercedes BROWNE

Source : 

Source : JF Pellouais

CEMTERY TEMPORARY of  -- N°--

Story of Cemetery Temporary 

Map of Normandy American Cemetery

Dolores Mercede BROWNE was born in New York in 1921.

Sgt. Browne joined the Women's Army Corps on 1/4/1943 at Fairfield, Hartford,Connecticut. When she enlisted, she was divorced with no children and was a stenographer/typist in civilian life. After completing basic training and service schools, Sgt. Browne was sent to France with the 6888 Central Postal Directory Battalion, the first all-female African American Army unit. Their job was to sort and distribute the mountainous amount of mail to the US troops serving in Europe.

On 8 Juillet 1945, Sgt. Browne was traveling in a US Army Willy's Jeep with sister 6888th members Private First Class (PFC) Mary J. Barlow and PFC Mary H. Bankston.

The vehicle was involved in an accident PFC.'s Bankston and Barlow were killed instantly. Sgt. Browne lingered for five days before succumbing to her injuries.

All three were buried at Normandy American Cemetery, Colleville-sur-Mer, France and, along with a female Red Cross worker who was killed in a plane crash, are the only women buried there.

Buste du Major Charity ADAMS EARLEY

Buffalo Soldiers Monument Park

Source : Stephenambrosetours.com

Tombe de Mary Jewel BARLOW

Source : JF Pellouais

Tombe de 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)