By LOIS KINDLE
After eight decades, veterans of World War II are becoming increasingly rare. And it’s even rarer if the veteran is an African American woman.
Gladys Blount, 22, in 1945
Gladys E. Blount was 22 when she voluntarily left her job as a hairdresser in East Orange, N.J., to enlist in the Army and serve overseas. She was one of 855 women chosen from the more than 6,000 African American women serving in the Army Air Corps and Service Corps during the war to comprise the all-Black, all-women 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion.
Formed in early 1945 to address a severe shortage of postal clerks, the battalion was stationed in Birmingham, England, and given the mission of clearing a six-month backlog of letters and packages to the troops and others serving in the European Theater. Its members worked around the clock in three shifts in an unheated, dimly lit warehouse with blacked-out windows, processing an average of 195,000 pieces of mail every 24 hours, completing their task in just three months.
With the backlog cleared, the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion then went to France and ended up in Rouen, where they were stationed in an old French barracks within a walled compound. Once again they were charged with processing another backlog of undelivered mail.
PAMELLA Photography Photo
East Orange, N.J. Mayor Ted R. Green flew to Ruskin July 29 to honor former resident Gladys Blount personally as a hometown hero for her dedication and service to the country as part of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion during World War II.
When the 6888th Battalion was disbanded in 1946, there was no ceremony or formal recognition acknowledging the women’s contribution of connecting soldiers to their families and boosting morale during the war.
Blount returned home to New Jersey, resumed her work and took courses in beauty culture and tailoring. She married in 1947, and within two years, she and her husband, Anthony, had two children, Eva and Anthony Jr.
More than seven decades later
Blount turned 100 on D-Day June 6 and now resides in Ruskin with her daughter, Eva Davis.
Having outlived her husband and son, she is reportedly one of only six surviving members of the 6888th.
The history of the battalion has been celebrated in various ways in recent years, including a Congressional Gold Medal awarded by President Joe Biden in 2022. And on July 29, East Orange, N.J. Mayor Ted R. Green flew to Ruskin to honor Blount personally as a hometown hero for her dedication and service to the country as part of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion during World War II.
Gladys Blount is seen here in uniform in Rouen, France, in this 1945 photo. Before being sent to Rouen, her tour of duty with the Army’s 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion began in Birmingham, England.
“Words cannot adequately express how proud we are of our native daughter, Mrs. Gladys Blount, who during a time of racial strife both at home and abroad, courageously answered the call to duty for our country,” Green said, in a recent press release. “This honor is long overdue, and we found it fitting that we make this special trip to visit Mrs. Blount in her home and recognize her as one of our living legends on whose shoulders we humbly stand.”
The mayor presented Blount with a Key to the City, a proclamation and the newly established new Green Medal of Honor, East Orange’s highest form of recognition awarded to distinguished residents.
Additionally, a ceremonial street renaming in East Orange is planned later this year in Blount’s honor.
Blount was truly “surprised” by Green’s visit and all the attention she received. She had done something she wanted to do and loved it.
Some of the 855 members of the Army’s all-women, all Black 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion are seen here in 1945.
“Then after 77 years to be named a hero, I was stunned,” she said, adding she thought what she did was all but forgotten.
A long life
Blount didn’t expect to become a centenarian.
“It was an accident,” she said, when asked her secret to a long life.
COURTESY PHOTOS
Ruskin resident Gladys Blount, 100, served in the Army during World War II in its specially created all-Black, all-women 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. Its 855 members were charged with clearing a six-month backlog of letters and packages to the troops and others serving in the European Theater. They completed their mission in three months
“The years kind of slipped up on her, and at a certain age, she quit counting,” Davis added, crediting her mom’s longevity to her unassuming personality, sense of humor and daily consumption of beet and carrot juice.
“She’s always taken life in stride, enjoyed her time with family and pets and, aside from arthritis and some vision loss, has had no serious health issues,” Davis said. “The military for her was an adventure. She’s lived a simple life and always done things she’s enjoyed.”
