Senators Hassan, Shaheen Participate in Bipartisan Effort to Pay Tribute to Doris Moore of Portsmouth and Other Members of the Six Triple Eight Battalion

WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, The Portsmouth Herald highlighted bipartisan efforts by U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen to recognize the women of the Six Triple Eight Battalion, the only all-Black, all-female battalion serving overseas during World War II, which included Portsmouth native Doris Moore. The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion served during World War II both at home and in Europe where members sorted and routed mail for millions of American service members and civilians. Last year, the Senate passed bipartisan legislation cosponsored by Senators Hassan and Shaheen to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the battalion, and the Senators are working to get the reintroduced bill signed into law this year.

See below for coverage highlights in The Portsmouth Herald or click here to read the full article.

Portsmouth's Doris Moore and women of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion

By D. Allan Kerr

After Portsmouth native Doris Moore returned home in 1942 with a bachelor’s degree in hand, she wanted to do something to help her country. America was embroiled in the Second World War at the time, a literal battle between good and evil.

Moore was a woman, and she was Black. Her opportunity to make a significant contribution to the war effort was limited not only by her gender but by her race. This opportunity ultimately arrived with the formation of the 6888th Central Postal Delivery Battalion, an all-Black detachment of the Women’s Army Corps. […]

Moore and her sister soldiers of the 6888th became the first battalion of Black women to serve overseas. These members of the Women’s Army Corps, more popularly known as WACs, were stationed in England and then transferred to France in 1945, the pivotal final year of the war. Their mission was to attack mountains of undelivered mail intended for the troops, some already delayed by as much as two years.

Until recently, the service rendered by these remarkable women has never been officially recognized. Now a group of federal lawmakers - including both of New Hampshire’s U.S. senators - are seeking to pay tribute to these women. The effort especially hits home with Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan, both groundbreaking women in their own right, because at least one of the soldiers they intend to honor was a fellow Granite Stater.

[…] In 2019, Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas introduced a bill to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the battalion. Both Hassan and Shaheen co-sponsored the legislation, along with Maine Sen. Susan Collins. But while the bill passed in the Senate, it was not approved by the House of Representatives to become law.

Now, because Congress has started a new session, the bill must pass in the Senate again, as well as the House. Hassan says she wants to “get this across the finish line” during the new session.

“The women of the Six Triple Eight are American heroes who served our country with honor and persevered through incredible challenges, including sexism and racism, in order to help get millions of letters and packages to our troops during World War II,” said Hassan. “This Congressional Gold Medal recognizing Doris and the other trailblazing women of the Six Triple Eight is long overdue.”

The story of such “trailblazing women” resonates with Hassan and Shaheen, the first two women in American history to serve their home state as both governor and senator. Shaheen, who was also the state’s first female governor, recently called Moore “a hero and a patriot, who New Hampshire is so proud to call one of our own.”

This patriot’s nieces, who also include Gail Pettiford and Doris Terry, put together a statement in support of this proposed legislation.

Doris Moore “took pride in wearing her uniform along with her fellow sisters of color who served with her in the United States Army,” her nieces said. “These brave women served with pride and fortitude as they experienced racial bias and limited notation.”

Here’s hoping the women of the Six Triple Eight finally get the recognition they deserve.

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