World War II Honoree

Mary H. Bankston

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

New York County, New York

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

Relationship

Relationship Not Determined

PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT SIGNED THE BILL ESTABLISHING THE WOMAN'S ARMY AUXILIARY CORPS (WAAC) IN MAY, 1942. SHE ENLISTED IN THE WAAC AND WAS STATIONED AT FORT DES MOINES, IOWA, WHICH WAS THE WAAC TRAINING CENTER. THE WAAC BECAME THE WOMEN'S ARMY CORPS (WAC) AND PART OF THE REGULAR ARMY ON JULY 1, 1943. SHE AND OTHER WAC MEMBERS FORMED THE 6888TH ('SIX TRIPLE EIGHT') CENTRAL POSTAL DIRECTORY BATTALION. THE 6888TH WAS FORMED WITH 31 OFFICERS AND 824 ENLISTED SOLDIERS AUTHORIZED. MEMBERS OF THE BATTALION TRAINED AT FORT OGLETHORPE, GEORGIA, NEAR CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE, WHICH WAS THE 3RD WAC TRAINING CENTER. ON FEBRUARY 3, 1945, THE FIRST BATTALION CONTINGENT SAILED ON THE CONVERTED LINER 'ILE DE FRANCE' OVERSEAS TO EUROPE. A SECOND CONTINGENT FOLLOWED SOME TWO MONTHS LATER. THE VOYAGES EXPERIENCED THE NORMAL ANTI-SUBMARINE DEFENSIVE MEASURES EN ROUTE. THE CONTINGENTS MOVED TO BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND WHERE THEY WERE QUARTERED AT THE KING EDWARD'S SCHOOL. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO) DURING THE WAR. THE 6888TH WAS THE ONLY BATTALION OF WAC BLACK WOMEN SENT OVERSEAS DURING THE WAR. THEY WORKED IN WAREHOUSES IN BIRMINGHAM WITH THE MISSION OF DELIVERING MAIL TO SERVICEMEMBERS IN THE THEATER. WORK CONDITIONS WERE SOMEWHAT GRIM FOR EVEN SUPPORT ECHELONS. THEY WORKED IN COLD AND DIMLY-LIGHTED BUILDINGS, OFTEN WITH RODENTS ABOUT, AND HAD TO WEAR LONG JOHNS AND EXTRA LAYERS OF CLOTHING UNDER THEIR WINTER COATS TO STAY WARM. THE MISSION WAS PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT DUE TO THE NUMBER OF MILITARY PERSONNEL IN THEATER, DIFFERENT SERVICES, FREQUENT MOVEMENT OF UNITS AND PERSONNEL WITHIN THE THEATER, DUPLICATION OF NAMES, CHANGES OF DUTY STATUS (E.G. KILLED, WOUNDED, MISSING), AND A MONUMENTAL BACKLOG OF UNDELIVERED MAIL DUE TO A SHORTAGE OF QUALIFIED POSTAL PERSONNEL. THE BATTALION WAS ORGANIZED INTO 3 DAILY SHIFTS, WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK, AND PROCESSING SOME 6,500 PIECES OF MAIL PER SHIFT. THE BATTALION WAS LATER MOVED TO ROUEN, FRANCE TO SOLVE DISTRIBUTION PROBLEMS THERE. SHE AND TWO OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BATTALION DIED OVERSEAS DUE TO NON-BATTLE VEHICLE ACCIDENTS IN ROUEN. SHE AND THE OTHER WOMEN OVERCAME ALL OBSTACLES TO PROVIDE SERVICE PERSONNEL A LETTER FROM HOME AND A BOOST TO THEIR MORALE. POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, WOMEN'S ARMY CORPS SERVICE MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL. ALSO AWARDED THE MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATION FOR EXCEPTIONALLY MERITORIOUS CONDUCT BY HER BATTALION IN PERFORMING OUTSTANDING SERVICES. HONORABLY DISCHARGED WITH THE RANK OF PRIVATE FIRST CLASS AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON. 'SIX TRIPLE EIGHT' WOMEN PERFORMED MAGNIFICANTLY, WITHOUT SUFFICIENT RECOGNITION, WITH GREAT PERSONAL DEDICATION, ENERGY, AND SELFLESS LOYALTY.