Netflix Movie 6888 Six Triple Eight

[Marshallj]

There is a new movie coming out on Netflix. I do not know the release date. It is called Six Triple Eight and about the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, a predominately black female unit that handled the mail in the ETO. The unit received a Congressional Gold Medal in 2022 for their service. Tyler Perry is the director. 

 

So the interesting thing, in my opinion,  is that because they received a CGM in 2022 people start assuming the unit was ignored because of their race or sex. I say the majority of service members did their time and went home, my dad included. No parades, no fanfare, no accolades. Just happy to be home in one piece and use his well deserved G.I Bill.  

 

[cutiger83]

On 5/23/2024 at 7:51 PM, Marshallj said:

There is a new movie coming out on Netflix. I do not know the release date. It is called Six Triple Eight and about the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, a predominately black female unit that handled the mail in the ETO. The unit received a Congressional Gold Medal in 2022 for their service. Tyler Perry is the director. 

 

So the interesting thing, in my opinion,  is that because they received a CGM in 2022 people start assuming the unit was ignored because of their race or sex. I say the majority of service members did their time and went home, my dad included. No parades, no fanfare, no accolades. Just happy to be home in one piece and use his well deserved G.I Bill.  

 

Before you make these assumptions, I recommend you read books regarding the service of women in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. For instance, read "We Band of Angels" about the women who served on Bataan and how they were treated when they came home.  Read any number of books regarding the WASPS and how they were treated when one of the 33 pilots was killed in the line of duty. Read any number of books such as "And if I Perish" regarding front line nurses in Wii.  Read any number of books regarding the women who served in Vietnam and how they were treated by the VA and some of their fellow male Vietnam Veterans.  Read "Shoot Like a Girl" about a modern day female helicopter pilot. 

 

Reading history books about other subjects besides just the frontline Airborne units is essential to understanding all of history. Educate yourself before making assumptions. 

 

...Kat

[The Rooster]

30 minutes ago, cutiger83 said:

Before you make these assumptions, I recommend you read books regarding the service of women in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. For instance, read "We Band of Angels" about the women who served on Bataan and how they were treated when they came home.  Read any number of books regarding the WASPS and how they were treated when one of the 33 pilots was killed in the line of duty. Read any number of books such as "And if I Perish" regarding front line nurses in Wii.  Read any number of books regarding the women who served in Vietnam and how they were treated by the VA and some of their fellow male Vietnam Veterans.  Read "Shoot Like a Girl" about a modern day female helicopter pilot. 

 

Reading history books about other subjects besides just the frontline Airborne units is essential to understanding all of history. Educate yourself before making assumptions. 

 

...Kat

"When the camps were finally liberated in February of 1945, all 77 nurses from Corregidor and Bataan were alive, although they were sick and weak and had lost an alarming portion of their body mass from starvation. The nurses were brought back to Australia and then to the United States. They were given a hero’s welcome and time to rest, although many family members of men who had fought or been captured at Bataan and Corregidor wrote to the women, asking about their sons, husbands, and brothers. The nurses were icons for many people across America, inspiring other women to become nurses or join the war effort in other ways in the last days of the war."

 

From what I can gather in a short amount of time, they were treated rather well when they got home.

Tell us what we are missing Kat?

 

https://www.pacificwarmuseum.org/about/news/angels-of-bataan

 

Plenty of people went through VA hospitals.

How many Americans were in the armed forces in WW2?

8-9 million?

All 77 nurses were still alive at the end of the war. How many Men captured on Bataan and Corregidor were still alive at the end of the war?

 

https://www.britannica.com/event/Bataan-Death-March

 

76,000 started the march.....

 

Only 54,000 prisoners reached the camp; though exact numbers are unknown, some 2,500 Filipinos and 500 Americans may have died during the march, and an additional 26,000 Filipinos and 1,500 Americans died at Camp O’Donnell.

 

[cutiger83]

2 minutes ago, The Rooster said:

"When the camps were finally liberated in February of 1945, all 77 nurses from Corregidor and Bataan were alive, although they were sick and weak and had lost an alarming portion of their body mass from starvation. The nurses were brought back to Australia and then to the United States. They were given a hero’s welcome and time to rest, although many family members of men who had fought or been captured at Bataan and Corregidor wrote to the women, asking about their sons, husbands, and brothers. The nurses were icons for many people across America, inspiring other women to become nurses or join the war effort in other ways in the last days of the war."

 

From what I can gather in a short amount of time, they were treated rather well when they got home.

Tell us what we are missing Kat?

 

https://www.pacificwarmuseum.org/about/news/angels-of-bataan

While you are correct this was done, it was the medical treatment that was lacking. There is a lot more to recovering from war than a parade.

 

They were not given any assistance with their PTSD issues (battle fatigue back then). They were told they did not need any assistance from the VA because as nurses they should have been able to handle the stress and mental side. In reality, they suffered worse because they wanted to help their patients but were unable to provide tor them.  In addition, they had lots of medical issues from their starvation that were not addressed by the VA. They were basically discharged and told to get on with their life.

 

...Kat

[cutiger83]

9 minutes ago, The Rooster said:

"When the camps were finally liberated in February of 1945, all 77 nurses from Corregidor and Bataan were alive, although they were sick and weak and had lost an alarming portion of their body mass from starvation. The nurses were brought back to Australia and then to the United States. They were given a hero’s welcome and time to rest, although many family members of men who had fought or been captured at Bataan and Corregidor wrote to the women, asking about their sons, husbands, and brothers. The nurses were icons for many people across America, inspiring other women to become nurses or join the war effort in other ways in the last days of the war."

 

From what I can gather in a short amount of time, they were treated rather well when they got home.

Tell us what we are missing Kat?

 

https://www.pacificwarmuseum.org/about/news/angels-of-bataan

For the WASPS, the men doing the exact same job were given a military funeral and the families were given $10,000. While it can be argued the WASPS were not part of the military, their bodies were not even given a proper funeral. The other WASPS took up money to have the body shipped home.  The family (and this is documented) were sent a telegram from the government that said "Your daughter died.  Where do you want the body shipped?" Nothing about her serving her country. 

 

One time a male pilot who was also ferrying a plane was showboating in front of the WASP.  His plane collided with hers, sheered off her wing and she was killed. He received no reprimand and they blamed her saying her reaction time was too slow. 

 

I could go on about the WASPS.....Kat

[cutiger83]

19 minutes ago, The Rooster said:

"When the camps were finally liberated in February of 1945, all 77 nurses from Corregidor and Bataan were alive, although they were sick and weak and had lost an alarming portion of their body mass from starvation. The nurses were brought back to Australia and then to the United States. They were given a hero’s welcome and time to rest, although many family members of men who had fought or been captured at Bataan and Corregidor wrote to the women, asking about their sons, husbands, and brothers. The nurses were icons for many people across America, inspiring other women to become nurses or join the war effort in other ways in the last days of the war."

 

From what I can gather in a short amount of time, they were treated rather well when they got home.

Tell us what we are missing Kat?

 

https://www.pacificwarmuseum.org/about/news/angels-of-bataan

Vietnam nurses were turned away from the VA  when trying to get help with the VA saying women did not serve in Vietnam.  Vietnam nurses trying to march in the "Vietnam Veterans Against the War" protest marches were turned away by the Vietnam Veterans who were marching. They were told women did not serve in Vietnam to which the nurses replied "If you didn't see me then you were lucky". 

 

...Kat

[cutiger83]

If anyone is interested in some good books about women in the military, I have read over 100 covering all branches and all wars. I can give you some very good recommendations. 

 

..Kat

[cutiger83]

37 minutes ago, The Rooster said:

"When the camps were finally liberated in February of 1945, all 77 nurses from Corregidor and Bataan were alive, although they were sick and weak and had lost an alarming portion of their body mass from starvation. The nurses were brought back to Australia and then to the United States. They were given a hero’s welcome and time to rest, although many family members of men who had fought or been captured at Bataan and Corregidor wrote to the women, asking about their sons, husbands, and brothers. The nurses were icons for many people across America, inspiring other women to become nurses or join the war effort in other ways in the last days of the war."

 

From what I can gather in a short amount of time, they were treated rather well when they got home.

Tell us what we are missing Kat?

 

https://www.pacificwarmuseum.org/about/news/angels-of-bataan

 

Plenty of people went through VA hospitals.

How many Americans were in the armed forces in WW2?

8-9 million?

All 77 nurses were still alive at the end of the war. How many Men captured on Bataan and Corregidor were still alive at the end of the war?

 

https://www.britannica.com/event/Bataan-Death-March

 

76,000 started the march.....

 

Only 54,000 prisoners reached the camp; though exact numbers are unknown, some 2,500 Filipinos and 500 Americans may have died during the march, and an additional 26,000 Filipinos and 1,500 Americans died at Camp O’Donnell.

 

Looks like you edited your post after my initial response to add more about the men on Bataan. And not sure what you mean by your comment regarding the fact that the nurses survived. I am not in any way shape or form belittling what the men went through. I am merely trying to point out what the nurses went thru after they got home and the parades ended.  I highly recommend you read "We Band of Angels" about the nurses on Bataan.  There are more books about the Angels. 

 

...Kat

[The Rooster]

My Dads Brother was killed in a B25 in training. Body shipped home etc. The $10,000.00?

The Marine Corps claimed My Uncle left no beneficiaries. My Uncle had joined the navy

first and transfered to the Marine Corps. SNAFU.

My Grandfather spent 5 years fighting the Marine Corps in Court.

Finally they got it right and doled the $10,000.00 to my Grandfather for his Sons life

at $500.00 a year for 20 years.

So basically what you are saying, the gist of it is...

The Women were treated exactly like the Men.

Thats equality. Just like the Men, abused used up forgotten and brushed aside by time and the "System"

The armed forces never promise anyone a rose garden.

[The Rooster]

Lets jump to today.. Man or Woman joins the National Guard in their state....

The Army Guard does not care whats under your uniform. They need bodies.

And if you die in service, your family etc gets the money which is a lot more than the $10,000.00 in

WW2. Things today for Women in the Armed Forces today seem on an even footing.

But did you realise that in the guard, if you dont make 20 years or if you are never deployed for more than 90 days

on federal service during your time in, that you qualify for absolutely zero benefits?

Man or Woman. You can do your initial 8 year hitch in the National Guard and not be deployed for over 90 days

and get out after 8 years... you get zero benefits. You could do 18 years training training

training and never be deployed and leave the service and you get nothing. Nada.

The Federal Govt does not even consider you a Vet.

Man or Woman its not always so easy.

And what you get out of it sometimes is what you hold inside and thats about it.

Not trying to minimize Womens contributions in any way.

Now its more equal than it was.

Not sure if Women are allowed in the Infantry, but what job cant Women do now in the Armed Forces?

[The Rooster]

"Thirty-eight WASP pilots died in the course of their service. Because WASP pilots were not military, the federal government refused to pay for their funeral expenses. The women's colleagues had to pool money to send their bodies home to their families."

You are right! That was a terrible thing to put the WASPS through.

 

I did not know this. That the WASPS were not a branch of the armed forces....

But the Federal Govt has all kinds of hoops and twists and turns....

If you recall.... All the National Guard troops sent to Washington DC in 2020....

They made sure to send them home before the 90days was up.

No benefits for those troops when they get out.

And thats the federally recognized Army National Guard !!!

Thats Uncle Sugar for ya.

[The Rooster]

Found this on the Air Force website...

The WASPS really did get a raw deal.

 

https://www.afcent.af.mil/Units/380th-Air-Expeditionary-Wing/News/Display/Article/3314518/the-womens-airforce-service-pilots-wasps-in-world-war-ii/

 

Getting back to the original post.

This postal unit was a part of the Women's Auxillary Army Corps (WAACs)

 

https://www.womenofthe6888th.org/

 

 

[cutiger83]

1 hour ago, The Rooster said:

My Dads Brother was killed in a B25 in training. Body shipped home etc. The $10,000.00?

The Marine Corps claimed My Uncle left no beneficiaries. My Uncle had joined the navy

first and transfered to the Marine Corps. SNAFU.

My Grandfather spent 5 years fighting the Marine Corps in Court.

Finally they got it right and doled the $10,000.00 to my Grandfather for his Sons life

at $500.00 a year for 20 years.

So basically what you are saying, the gist of it is...

The Women were treated exactly like the Men.

Thats equality. Just like the Men, abused used up forgotten and brushed aside by time and the "System"

The armed forces never promise anyone a rose garden.

Before you make statements like "the women were treated exactly like the men", I highly recommend you read books on the subject.  Your family eventually got the $10,000. Women are being acknowledged for their contributions in WWII and their service is still being questioned as " assuming" this movie is only being made because of the 2022 medal.  Maybe the awarding of the medal helped educate people but is this assumption done when it pertains to men's service? Maybe...maybe not...

 

And you cannot in any way, shape or from compare the women who served in WWII to the women who serve today. We have made great advancements since WWII. 

 

I cannot stress enough to actually read about the women who have served our country.  My entire point is read and learn instead of making assumptions. 

[The Rooster]

Yes you are correct. But what I'm getting at, Man or Woman, Uncle Sugar has a way of giving people the shaft.

Yes the Maine Corps finally gave my Grandfather the $10,000. I think he was finally paid off in 1968.....

But he had to pay for the plot and the funeral and fight the Marine Corps for years for it.

Grandfather was a WW1 Vet, In France.

WASPS volunteered as civilians. Who paid them their wages? I'm guessing the ARMY? They should have been part of the military.

Yea they got a raw deal. So did many many people who served this country

over the centuries in peace time and wartime.. even today.

[cutiger83]

5 minutes ago, The Rooster said:

Yes you are correct. But what I'm getting at, Man or Woman, Uncle Sugar has a way of giving people the shaft.

Yes the Maine Corps finally gave my Grandfather the $10,000. I think he was finally paid off in 1968.....

WASPS volunteered as civilians. Who paid them their wages? I'm guessing the ARMY? They should have been part of the military.

Yea they got a raw deal. So did many many people who served this country

over the centuries in peace time and wartime.. even today.

But the difference is that contrary to what the OP stated, the women were in fact ignored because of their sex not because of anything having to do with their service.  The men who were POW were given psychiatric treatment when they came home; the women were not because they were nurses and should have been able to handle it, etc. 

 

Read We Band of Angels. Read And If I Perish - Frontline Nurses in WWII.  Read....

[The Rooster]

2 minutes ago, cutiger83 said:

But the difference is that contrary to what the OP stated, the women were in fact ignored because of their sex not because of anything having to do with their service.  The men who were POW were given psychiatric treatment when they came home; the women were not because they were nurses and should have been able to handle it, etc. 

 

Read We Band of Angels. Read And If I Perish - Frontline Nurses in WWII.  Read....

Will do.

[DesertBill]

Hello.

 

Netflix announced the release date for The Six Triple Eight, December 20th. 

The new trailer and the original trailer from August are below.  
 

 

- Bill

[Armygas]

The DAV Magazine dated Jan/Feb 2024 has a cover photo the 6888 soldiers sorting mail with the bi-line, 'No mail, low morale'.  Followed by a three page article on the subject.  A quick primer before seeing the feature film.

[Haze99]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelelspethgross/2024/12/21/recreating-wwii-wac-uniforms-for-tyler-perrys-the-six-eighty-eight/

Odd, did this individual NOT contact the WAC Museum, QM Museum or Center for Military History prior to embarking on this? 

[Bluehawk]

> The film itself was an unconscionable waste of time.

 

[Charlie Flick]

I have not yet seen the film so don't have my own review to offer.  However, the early published reviews are very mixed.  A few quotes: 

 

"...true story of heroic black women's battalion fails to deliver." 

"I also found the script and some of the acting a bit woolly." 

"The Six Triple Eight was written and directed by Tyler Perry, and it stumbles along with all the artfulness of a war epic being enacted by a group of underfunded high-schoolers."

"The film is at its best when leaning into their story, sisterhood and how they overcame when faced with racism, sexism and adversity. Where it falls short, however, is within the same tropes that often plague Perry’s work. Flat and stereotypical depictions of Black women distract from the story." 

"...the film finds a reach-for-your-Kleenex grace."

"The Six Triple Eight features no shortage of barracks-set scenes with Lena and her fellow WACs, which quickly remind us that Perry has his roots in theater. (In other words, they all stand on their mark, bark out character-defining dialogue, then wait for the audience to react.)"

 

Charlie

 

[cutiger83]

I liked the movie. It got me interested in learning more about the women. Some critics of the movie are trying to say it was not factually correct but the General did in fact tell Adams that he was going to replace her with a white lieutenant. She did in fact tell him "over my dead body".  There was in fact a chaplain who tried to undermine her work. The women were treated poorly. The black male officers were allowed in the clubs with the white male and female officers while the black female officers were not allowed in. Many more factual examples from the movie. 

 

I figure any movie that gets me interested in buying books to learn more about the subject is a good movie. 

 

..Kat

[cutiger83]

On 12/25/2024 at 12:01 PM, Charlie Flick said:

I have not yet seen the film so don't have my own review to offer.  However, the early published reviews are very mixed.  A few quotes: 

 

"...true story of heroic black women's battalion fails to deliver." 

"I also found the script and some of the acting a bit woolly." 

"The Six Triple Eight was written and directed by Tyler Perry, and it stumbles along with all the artfulness of a war epic being enacted by a group of underfunded high-schoolers."

"The film is at its best when leaning into their story, sisterhood and how they overcame when faced with racism, sexism and adversity. Where it falls short, however, is within the same tropes that often plague Perry’s work. Flat and stereotypical depictions of Black women distract from the story." 

"...the film finds a reach-for-your-Kleenex grace."

"The Six Triple Eight features no shortage of barracks-set scenes with Lena and her fellow WACs, which quickly remind us that Perry has his roots in theater. (In other words, they all stand on their mark, bark out character-defining dialogue, then wait for the audience to react.)"

 

Charlie

 

While you did state "the early reviews are very mixed", every example you gave was not favorable. A quick search found some favorable ones

 

...The six triple eight relates a little known story that fairly demanded to be told, and see it full justice.

...impressive in both its subject and suggested scope Perry's reflects how the achievement of these women directly impacted the troops morale, despite the adversity they faced from skeptical superior officers. 

[ScottG]

1 hour ago, cutiger83 said:

While you did state "the early reviews are very mixed", every example you gave was not favorable. A quick search found some favorable ones

 

...The six triple eight relates a little known story that fairly demanded to be told, and see it full justice.

...impressive in both its subject and suggested scope Perry's reflects how the achievement of these women directly impacted the troops morale, despite the adversity they faced from skeptical superior officers. 

        I added my review under the movies thread but basically the issues with the movie are that it is flawed from start to nearly the end for no good reason.

     This is a film set in WWII, anyone with a slightest knowledge of US history, or Army history would expect the adversity that is depicted in this film, its just the way things were. So, the question becomes what adversity did they have to overcome that other minorities of the time didn't? If there were any, they weren't shown by Mr. Perry. I saw them get insulted as blacks, well, most blacks of the time would have the same story to tell. I saw them insulted as women, again, women in the military at that time had a raw deal and it stayed that way for a long time, in this film nothing was done to show that these women suffered worse than any others. The closest was their billeting assignment and showing them add nice beds, a hair salon, indoor showers, etc... did nothing to evoke my sympathy.

        So, the General was a bigot, well you can take it to the bank that most were and by today's standards they all were. The issue for me is how and why do you make up the deaths of two soldiers to add a "combat death scene" when it didn't happen. Was it to overstate the Army not putting forth funds for burial? Was it to show that the General was a bigot? The truth is that 3 members of the unit died in a vehicle accident in France. It would have been appropriate to actually add this story and factually explain what happened with the burial. The 3 that died were not mentioned which in my opinion dishonors them and their memories further. 

        Lena's story, while true, was so screwed up by the timeline or lack thereof that it became weird. So you just happen on a cemetery in Scotland where your fiance or boyfriend who was killed in Italy is buried in a temporary grave? The 6888 served in France, yet none of that was shown, perhaps because the story centered on the mail in the UK but it really messes with some of the actual history. 

         Finally, and I am sure some will be offended by this, but they are not heroes. They were soldiers who did the job they were assigned to do under a difficult set of circumstances. By the time they reached the UK the war was almost over and when they were sent to France it was over. They stormed no beaches, took no hills or fortresses, nor penetrated enemy lines. They provided honorable service in the assignment in which they were given and they did it well. What's next, a movie about the heroes of the typing pool? Give me the Night Witches, some of the female OSS agents, or snipers from any country if you are going to bill a film as a heroic tale...not this. To add one last insult, the writers had to show how the Army renamed a base formerly named for a Confederate to Fort Gregg-Adams. Again, a 10 second look at history will show that LTG Gregg and LTC Adams were both soldiers who did their jobs in service to their nation. If that is all that was required, that Confederate whose name was Robert E Lee, rose to Chief Astronomer and Engineer of the Great Lakes as a Lieutenant. He was part of solving the Michigan-Ohio border dispute which likely prevented much bloodshed. He later served with great distinction in Mexico where Winfield Scott called him the very best soldier he had seen in the field. He later led the mission to Harpers Ferry and captured John Brown. All of this before the Civil War and from the only graduate of West Point to have no demerits in 4 years. As a General, he fought a war outnumbered and outgunned for nearly 4 years with many huge successes. When he surrendered and retired he did it with honor and he upheld reconciliation and that same honor for the rest of his days. A bit more than just doing his duty, though he would have likely called it that. So, with no animosity in my heart, I just don't think the producers of this work did a very good job, and if this is the new standard of heroism in our country then we are truly lost. It's only saving grace is that it may inspire others to research the truth, and that it is another war movie that has been made. Scott

         

[The Rooster]

Imagine having to worry about everyone's feelings while simultaneously fighting a war to the death with the Nazis

and the Japanese. This looking back on history and singling out units and having a guilt trip put on everyone living now

for injustices of the past is getting old. You want to look at injustice in the military?

There are too many stories told and untold.

Fighting wars and killing other human beings in an organized fashion is a dirty business.

No time for feelings. Lets see a movie about the dead from the Slapton Sands training accident

before DDay.... I bet they felt some injustice in their deaths. 700+ dead for nothing.

Over 15,000 dead in aircratf training accidents in the USA.

At least the vast majority of the members of 6888 Six Triple Eight, got to go home at the end.

 

https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/wars-conflicts-and-operations/world-war-ii/1944/exercise-tiger.html

The powers that be provided 2 escorts for that training excersize.

Just one example....

 

Talk about injustice.