Who wrote the bloody letter and what it said

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

Netflix The six triple eight is based on an inspiring true story that culminates in a powerful ending. The film directed by Tyler Perry tells the story of the 6888th Battalion of the Central Postal Directorate, a battalion made up entirely of black women during World War II. The six triple eightThe cast stars Kerry Washington as Major Charity Adams, the first black woman to be an officer in the Women's Army Corps and commander of the 6888th Battalion.

During the war, an excessive backlog of mail occurred as there were not enough staff to manage the millions of pieces of mail sent to and from the front lines. This initially overlooked problem has become a significant issue as American soldiers during World War II didn't get letters from their loved ones and their loved ones didn't get letters from soldiers. Lack of communication contributed to a decline in morale. The Netflix film reveals how the 6888th Battalion faced this problem and became unsung heroes.

How the Six Triple Eights Sorted 17 Million Mails in Less Than 90 Days

They developed smart strategies and worked 24/7

General Halt (Dean Norris) wanted to see the 6888th Battalion fail, giving them poor conditions and only six months to sort 17 million pieces of mail. Under Adams' leadership, his unit worked tirelessly, managing to organize mail that had been delayed for years in less than 90 days. Adams had his unit divided into day and night shifts so that progress could be made at any time of the day. They developed smart strategies and assigned individuals with specialized skills to deal with certain challenges.

One of these strategies included finding out when the letters were sent to determine where the unit subsequently headed. In cases where there was not enough information to determine where the letter should be sent, envelopes were opened and letters were read for clues that would identify the intended recipient. For any letter sprayed with perfume, soldiers could use their knowledge of the perfume's scents to match the sender to the state where the perfume was sold and then track it.

Who wrote the bloodstained letter to Lena and its meaning explained

It contained a powerful message

The six triple eight began with a plane crashing on a World War II battlefield and a blood-stained letter being taken from the deceased pilot. As explained at the end, Abram David (Gregg Sulkin) wrote the letter and was the dead pilot who crashed on the battlefield at the beginning of the film. 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 join the war effort to serve her country through the 6888th Battalion.

While sorting through the millions of pieces of mail, Lena's fellow soldier, Johnnie Mae (Shantice Shanay), discovers the bloodstained 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 enjoying life without him. Although his tragic death meant the end of a future with Lena, he didn't want it to stop her from living her beautiful life.

How the actions of the Triple Eight Six impacted World War II

As can be seen when the letters are delivered at the end of the film, the actions of the 6888th Battalion provided a significant boost to morale. Soldiers overseas were overjoyed to finally hear from their loved ones at home, and their loved ones were relieved to finally hear from them. The letters were delivered in 1945, the last year of the Second World War. Increased hope and morale helped soldiers survive the final months of the terrible war.

Members of the 6888th Battalion were often mistreated by their military peers, whose prejudiced attitudes toward the unit were largely shaped by racism and sexism. General Halt and a few others were unable to move beyond their prejudiced perspectives. However, there were also many military personnel who knew what the 6888th Battalion had accomplished and were grateful to them for reopening the lines of communication and boosting morale, as the soldiers saluting them at the end of the film can see.

Did the Triple Eight ever get the recognition they deserved?

They Were Not Recognized Until Many Decades Later

Despite their incredible feat, the members of the 6888th Battalion did not receive any recognition when they returned to the United States of America. In fact, they were treated better in Europe than when they returned to their home country. Many decades later, when President Barack Obama was in office, the 6888th Battalion finally began receiving long-awaited recognition, with its members receiving the Congressional Gold Medal for Servicealong with a memorial being erected to commemorate his achievements.

In a clip shown during the film's credits, First Lady Michelle Obama paid tribute to Mary Ragland and Alyce Dixon, who served in the Six Triple Eight. She highlighted how the 6888th Battalion was the only all-Black and Black women unit in the United States military to serve overseas during World War II. One of the main reasons Tyler Perry's film was made was so that the remarkable story of the 6888th Battalion could become better known.

What happened to the real members of the Triple Eight Six after World War II

The real Lena appears at the end of the film

Military leadership was so impressed with the 6888th Battalion's ability to sort 17 million pieces of mail so quickly that they sent the unit to deal with another mail backlog in Europe. They were sent to Rouen, France, where the 6888th Battalion used their strategies to organize and send a backlog of mail in record time. After the war ended, they returned to the United States and resumed their previous lives, without parades or any other recognition to honor what they had done.

After returning home, Lena married Private Hugh Bell (Jay Reeves), whom she met during her time in the 6888th Battalion. The real Lena, now 100 years old, appeared at the end of the film and shared much of this information herself. As for Adams, she was promoted to 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 president and founding the Black Leadership Development Program (via National Museum of the United States Army).

The true meaning of the six triple eight

It's a story of hope and resilience about unsung heroes

The six triple eight is a story of hope and human resilience. Lena, Adams, and everyone in their unit were fired and belittled simply for being black women. Even when tasked with seemingly impossible tasks, it didn't stop them from rising to the occasion as they worked together to ensure that the soldiers and their loved ones would receive their letters. His resourcefulness, determination and ingenuity made a significant difference in countless lives.

While there are many excellent films about World War II, there are still many stories of untold bravery and honor. That makes it even more significant for Perry and his creative team to tell the story of the 6888th Battalionwhose contributions were unknown and went unnoticed for 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