The Six Triple Eight dropped on Netflix on December 20, 2024. Written and directed by Tyler Perry, the war drama film tells the story of an all-Black and all-female battalion that served in the US Army during World War II.
The film authentically portrays the WWII era and showcases the trials and tribulations faced by the battalion as they sort out bundles of mail so letters can reach the soldiers on time. This raises a question: is The Six Triple Eight based on a true story?
The movie is based on a real story as it chronicles the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, a predominantly Black battalion of the Women's Army Corps, which cleared a three-year backlog of mail in 1945.
Is The Six Triple Eight based on a true story?
Netflix’s The Six Triple Eight is based on the inspiring true story of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, often called the "Six Triple Eight." The all-Black, all-female unit served overseas during World War II.
Their job was to clear a massive backlog of undelivered mail that had piled up for months and, in some cases, even years. These letters and packages were essential for keeping soldiers connected with loved ones back home, which helped boost morale during tough times.
The battalion was formed in 1944 to handle the overwhelming task. The group consisted of about 850 women, including 31 officers, led by Major Charity Adams, played by Kerry Washington in The Six Triple Eight.
The women underwent rigorous training, including climbing rope ladders, practicing gas mask drills, and learning to identify enemy weapons and aircraft. In 1945, they landed in Europe, their first stop being in Birmingham, England.
The women had to work under harsh conditions as they sorted mail out in dimly lit, freezing warehouses with no heating while rats crawled through the mailbags. Despite the obstacles, the team worked tirelessly in three eight-hour shifts around the clock.
They sorted through letters often addressed only to nicknames like ‘Junior, U.S. Army’ or ‘Buster.’ By using service numbers and other identifiers, they managed to deliver over 17 million pieces of mail in just three months, which was half the time they were expected to take.
After finishing the job in England, the battalion moved to Rouen, France, facing another enormous mail backlog. This time, they sorted letters that were delayed for up to two years. Again, the women exceeded expectations, clearing the backlog in just five months.
Later, they were sent to Paris to organize civilian mail. Throughout their work, they not only faced the challenges of the job but also dealt with discrimination and racism, even from fellow soldiers. Their work was so efficient and critical to the war effort that it set an example for military postal operations.
However, their contributions were largely ignored after the war. The Six Triple Eight director Tyler Perry revealed that when he got to know about the story from producer Nicole Avant, he was so astonished that he refused to believe it. Perry said in an interview with USA Today:
“[I asked Avant,] You're kidding me, right? There's no way that there were 855 Black women in Europe during World War II. And she's like, 'No, it's a true story.' So I started just getting my hands on as much information.”
The battalion members’ lives after the war
Netflix's The Six Triple Eight does not delve much into the 6888th members’ lives after the war. In reality, the battalion was officially deactivated in 1946 after the women completed their mission and returned to the US.
While their service earned them medals like the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal, there was little public recognition of their accomplishments at the time.
The women of the 6888th quietly returned to civilian life. Some pursued higher education, like Major Charity Adams, who earned a master’s degree. Others, like battalion member Lena King, played by Ebony Obsidian in The Six Triple Eight, stayed in Europe for a while before moving back to the US.
In 1995, Major Adams wrote a memoir about her experiences leading the battalion, and in 1996, Dr. Brenda L. Moore published a book documenting the history of the 6888th. In 2018, a monument was built at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, to honor their contributions.
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A year later, they were awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation. In 2022, the battalion received one of the nation’s highest honors: the Congressional Gold Medal. The medal featured a portrait of Major Adams on one side and a stack of mail on the other, symbolizing their historic work.
The Six Triple Eight is available to stream on Netflix.
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