Warning: There are spoilers ahead for The Six Triple Eight.

Netflix's The Six Triple Eight's cast stars Kerry Washington as Major Charity Adams, the first Black woman to be an officer in the Women's Army Corps, and the commanding officer of the 6888th Battalion.

During the war, an excessive backlog of mail occurred, as there were not enough personnel to manage the millions of pieces of mail being sent to and from the front lines. This initially overlooked problem became a significant issue as American soldiers during World War II were not receiving letters from their loved ones and their loved ones were not receiving letters from soldiers. The lack of communication contributed to a decline in morale. The Netflix movie reveals how the 6888th Battalion confronted this issue and became unsung heroes.

How The Six Triple Eight Sorted Through 17 Million Pieces Of Mail In Less Than 90 Days

They Developed Clever Strategies

General Halt (Dean Norris) wanted to see the 6888th Battalion fail, giving them poor conditions and only six months to sort through 17 million pieces of mail. Under Adams' leadership, her unit worked tirelessly, managing to organize the mail that had been backlogged for years in less than 90 days. Adams had her unit split into day and night shifts so that progress was being made at all hours of the day. They developed clever strategies and assigned individuals with specialized skills to handle certain challenges.

One of these strategies included figuring out when the letters were sent to determine where the unit was headed afterward. In cases where there was not enough information to determine where a letter was supposed to be sent, the envelopes were opened, and the letters were read to find clues that would identify the intended recipient. For any letter sprayed with perfume, the soldiers were able to use their knowledge of the perfume scents to match the sender with the state where that perfume was sold and then trace it back.

Who Wrote The Blood-Stained Letter To Lena & Its Meaning Explained

It Contained A Powerful Message

The Six Triple Eight began with a plane crashing into a World War II battlefield and a blood-stained letter being taken from the deceased pilot. As explained in the ending, Abram David (Gregg Sulkin) wrote the letter and was the dead pilot who crashed into the battlefield at the beginning of the movie. Abram and Lena Derriecott King (Ebony Obsidian) were in love and planned to live a long life together after the war ended. After Lena learned of Abrams' death, she made the decision to the war effort to serve her country via the 6888th Battalion.

While his tragic death meant the end of a future with Lena, he did not want this to stop her from going on to live her own beautiful life.

While sorting through the millions of pieces of mail, Lena's fellow soldier, Johnnie Mae (Shantice Shanay), discovers the blood-stained letter and gives it to Lena. In his letter, Abram emphasized his love for Lena, and that even though he knew she was waiting for him, he encouraged Lena to continue living and continue enjoying life without him. While his tragic death meant the end of a future with Lena, he did not want this to stop her from going on to live her own beautiful life.

How The Six Triple Eight’s Actions Impacted World War II

They Reopened The Lines Of Communication

As seen when the letters are delivered at the end of the movie, the 6888th Battalion's actions provided a significant boost to morale. Soldiers overseas were overjoyed to finally hear from their loved ones back home and their loved ones were relieved to finally hear from them. The letters were delivered in 1945, which was the final year of World War II. The boost in hope and morale helped the soldiers make it through the final months of the horrific war.

World War II lasted from 1939-1945.

The 6888th Battalion were often treated poorly by their military peers, whose prejudiced attitudes towards the unit were largely shaped by racism and sexism. General Halt and some others were unable to move beyond their bigoted outlooks. However, there were also many of the military who knew what the 6888th Battalion had accomplished, and were grateful to them for reopening the lines of communication and increasing morale, as seen by the soldiers who salute them at the end of the movie.

Did The Six Triple Eight Ever Get The Recognition They Deserved?

They Were Not Recognized Until Many Decades Later

Despite their incredible feat, the 6888th Battalion were not given any recognition when they first returned to the United States of America. In fact, they were treated better in Europe than when they were back in their home country. Many decades later, when President Barack Obama was in office, the 6888th Battalion finally began to receive some long overdue recognition, with its receiving the Congressional Gold Medal of Service, along with a memorial being erected to commemorate their accomplishments.

In a clip shown during the movie's credits, First Lady Michelle Obama honored Mary Ragland and Alyce Dixon, both of whom served in the Six Triple Eight. She highlighted how the 6888th Battalion was the only all Black and women of color unit in the United States military to serve overseas during World War II. One of the primary reasons why the Tyler Perry movie was made was so the 6888th Battalion's remarkable story can become more widely known.

What Happened To The Real Of The Six Triple Eight After World War II

The Real Lena Appears At The End Of The Movie

The military leadership was so impressed by the 6888th Battalion's ability to sort through 17 million pieces of mail so quickly that they sent the unit to deal with another backlog of mail in Europe. They were sent to Rouen, , where the 6888th Battalion used their strategies to organize and have a backlog of mail sent out in a record amount of time. After the war ended, they returned to the United States and resumed their previous lives, with no ticker-tape parades or any other recognition honoring what they had done.

Adams later married, had two children, and dedicated the rest of her life to education and activism, including becoming a college dean and founding the Black Leadership Development Program.

After returning home, Lena married Private Hugh Bell (Jay Reeves), who she met during her time in the 6888th Battalion. The real Lena, at 99 years old, appeared at the end of the movie and shared much of this information herself. As for Adams, she was promoted to a lieutenant colonel and went on to work at the Pentagon. Adams later married, had two children, and dedicated the rest of her life to education and activism, including becoming a college dean and founding the Black Leadership Development Program (via National Museum of the United States Army).

The Real Meaning Of The Six Triple Eight

It Is A Tale Of Hope And Resilience About Unsung Heroes

The Six Triple Eight is a story of human hope and resilience. Lena, Adams, and everyone in their unit were dismissed and belittled simply because they were women of color. Even when tasked with the seemingly impossible, this did not stop them from rising to the occassion, as they worked together to ensure that the soldiers and their loved ones would receive their letters. Their resourcefulness, determination, and ingenuity made a significant difference in countless lives.

While there are many great World War II movies, there are still many stories of untold bravery and honor. This makes it all the more meaningful for Perry and his creative team to tell the story of the 6888th Battalion, whose contributions have been unknown and gone largely unrecognized for far too long. The women in this unit did not serve for glory, but because they knew it was the right thing to do. The Six Triple Eight is a powerful tale of unsung heroes.

Source: National Museum of the United States Army