The nation’s only Black, all-female unit to serve in Europe during World War II was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal on Tuesday, decades after their efforts helped lift morale for soldiers fighting in battle.

“The Six Triple Eight are great American patriots, loyal to a nation that, for far too long, failed to return the favor,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said at Tuesday’s ceremony. “And I’m glad to say that’s changing, and we’re doing that here today.”

The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, often referred to as the Six Triple Eight, cleared a backlog of nearly 17 million pieces of mail in three months during the war — twice as fast as expected.

The women, who faced both racial and sexism during their service, were credited with ensuring service members received letters from their loved ones. They served first in England before moving to France.

In 2021, the Senate passed legislation to award the women the highest honor in Congress: the Congressional Gold Medal, followed by a 422-0 House vote in 2022. Former President Biden signed the........

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