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Life in the Scenic City: Chattanooga's to the Six Triple Eight

 In 2024 Netflix released a film directed by Tyler Perry highlighting the forgotten or unknown history of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, also known as the Six Triple Eight. In reading about it, I learned that many scenes were filmed right here in the city in early 2023. 

 


The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum was used for authentic 1940’s-era train and railway scenes. The iconic Chattanooga Choo, Choo Terminal Station dome and lobby were transformed to represent a 1940’s-era Birmingham, Alabama, train station.

Scenes were filmed in the downtown area along Market Street with local businesses like Gate 11 Distillery and Nic & Norman's in the Choo, Choo complex serving as crew, cast, and production sites.

The production crew sourced props from Chattanooga antique stores like Dirty Jane’s Antiques and The Refindery. In addition to Chattanooga locations, the film was partly shot in nearby Cedartown, Georgia, as well as at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta and on location in the United Kingdom. 

Shanice Williams, an actress who played the role of Johnnie Mae, a character who represents just one of many women who served, moved to Chattanooga after filming the movie. She said Chattanooga stole her heart. She visited the Brewer Media Office, and I was able to get a picture with her.

The real Six Triple Eight also has ties to our local community. On February 3, 1945, the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, began training at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia.

Today this area is part of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. The buildings are no longer there but you can walk to the site where the women of the 6-888 were housed and trained. You can ask the Park’s personnel for a map, and they’ll highlight where you can park and where you can find the Historical markers.



The 6888th, the only all-Black, all-female WAC unit to serve overseas in WWII, underwent rigorous training at Fort Oglethorpe. Under Major Charity Adams, they trained at the Third WAC Training Center, mastering gas mask drills, physical conditioning, and mail sorting before their deployment. 

These women went through simulated combat scenarios like navigating obstacles, climbing ropes, crawling under wire, and gas mask drills.

Following their training, the 855 women were shipped to Europe to resolve a massive, two-year backlog of mail, completing their mission in just three months. They were told it would take six months to complete. They sorted over 65,000 pieces of backlogged mail for U.S. service members to boost the troops’ morale.

Despite their crucial role, the women of the 6-888 were often treated as second-class citizens, forced to use segregated facilities for sleeping, eating, and recreation. They were segregated from white military personnel and, at times, faced hostility from fellow Americans abroad.

After successfully completing their mission, the unit returned to the U.S. in 1946 to no fanfare, public recognition, or parades, reflecting the indifference Black veterans faced. 

But these women would eventually receive the accolades they deserved.

The unit was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor in the United States, which was approved by Congress in 2022 and presented in a ceremony on April 29, 2025.

In 2019 they received a Meritorious Unit Commendation, for their exceptional service during World War II. In 2018 a monument was established at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, to honor the unit. The unit was inducted into the Army Women's Foundation Hall of Fame in 2016.

Locally, the 6th Cavalry Museum in Fort Oglethorpe featured an exhibit honoring the 6888 but the museum is permanently closed.

A Valentine's Dinner and Dance was recently held on February 7, 2026, in Fort Oglethorpe, to raise money to build a monument for the 6-888. 

The event raised funds to place a memorial monument in the city's Honor Park. 



The Park is a dedicated tribute to military personnel, veterans, their families, and first responders. Situated along the city's greenway, the park features a Gold Star Garden, 14 dedicated trees, a pavilion, and commemorative pavers, serving as a serene, reflective space. 

If you haven’t watched the movie on Netflix, I highly suggest you give it a watch. It was well made, accurate and powerful.

You can learn more about the Six Triple Eight at guides.loc.gov/6888th-central-postal-directory-battalion

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