Live Music
Archive
Librivox
Free Audio
Metropolitan Museum
Cleveland
Museum of Art
Internet
Arcade
Console Living Room
Open Library
American
Libraries
TV News
Understanding
9/11tv Speaker Mike Johnson Presents Congressional Gold Medal CSPAN June 3, 2025 11:18pm-12:29am EDT
11:20 pm
>> ladies and gentlemen the honorable mike johnson, speaker of the united states house of representatives. the speaker: thank you. [applause] it's a beautiful spring afternoon and happy to have you all and want to welcome my colleagues in congress, officials of the united states army, distinguished guests. we are happy to have you in the united states capitol today. we are honored to be joined by over 300 descend ants and family
11:21 pm
members of the six triple eight. what a testament this is to the enduring impact of these remarkable women we honor today. this ceremony reflects the highest tradition of our republic, one that roots stretch back to general george washington, grant and the wright brothers. congressional gold medal is the highest and it shaped our country and our nation's story. in this spirit that we gather to award this medal to the suint triple eight -- six triple eight. i knew you were going to correct
11:22 pm
me. 6, 888. [laughter] >> we call it the six triple eight. ok. [applause] we try to be precise. this battalion was the first and only unit of african-american women to serve overseas during world war ii. [applause] as tens of thousands of allied forces made their final push across europe, the malest troops were crippling. and letters at home we very important and lifeline that grounded the soldiers and reminded our brave heroes.
11:23 pm
and morale reports underscore how mail was to the soldiers' spirit so much so that the no mail low morale and official motto of the six triple eight. for all the importance of mail, millions of undelivered letters piled up across europe and those letters might have stayed there were it not for the work of the women we celebrate today. [applause] i just want to note she sounds like a marvel hero.
11:24 pm
charity. the battalion deployed to england and worked in three shifts around the clock day in and day out to sort through the literal mountains of mail that had accumulated while navigating troop momplets that turn on a dime, incomplete addresses, illegible i believe writing and soldiers who shared the same that i am. my name is mike johnson, at this time -- i know, it's sad. [laughter] at this time, michael was the ninth most popular name and johnson was one of the top five surnames and sir, it is safe to assume that 30,000 mike johnsons and that is enough to fill fenway park. just imagine the challenge. they were trying to get the right letter to the right soldier and that's the challenge they faced. they maintained a tracking
11:25 pm
system of seven million i.d. cards to solve the issues of sold years sharing names. they didn't have the high tech gadgets but had to do it manually. and they cleared the entire backlog in no less than three months. that's right. [applause] listen to this. by the war's end, the six triple eight had sorted over 17 million pieces of mail. they gt the job done in the face of inadequate supplies and in the face of discrimination both within the army and back home. these women were valiant members of our greatest generation. artists, academics, athletes, women who went on to pursue higher education to buy homes and shape the foundation of the
11:26 pm
american middle class. we remember margaret sales who enlisted on her 20th birthday -- [applause] she enlisted on her 20th birthday and dreams of pursuing music and teaching. and women like romay davis. she used the g.i. bill to attend fashion school and earned her black belt in her 70's. tough ladies. we also remember the incomparable lieutenant charity gurly who died in her unit. she faced those challenges and guided her unit with unshakeable grace and resolve. and after earning her degree in math, latin and physics and said
11:27 pm
this, after handling 885 women any course in college would be a cinch. we are blessed that two members of the six triple eight are watching from home. [applause] they are and we want to salute them from here in the chamber. fanny mccleanedon who is from my home state of louisiana. [applause] she went on to serve her country as a major in the air force. that's right. [applause] , we also have anna may robertson watching at home. [applause]
11:28 pm
just last month she celebrated her 101st birthday. [applause] ms. anna may, you have a big group here. these women and the entire six triple eight are great american patriots. loyal to a nation that for far too long failed to return that favor and i am glad to say that is changing and we are doing that here today. this story has rightly captured imaginations and expired books and movies and stirred the conscience of americans who are hearing and sharing this incredible story. today here in the people's house we add to that story. thank you for being here. we are honored to host you and celebrate these exceptional women. god bless you.
11:29 pm
[applause] >> ladies and gentlemen please stand for the presentation of the colors by the united states army color guard from the third united states infantry, the old guard and pershing's brass quartet and the retiring of the colors. present arms.
11:30 pm
♪ o say can you see. by the dawn's early light. what so proudly we hail. at the twilight's last gleaming. whose broad stripes and bright stars. through the perilous flight. oer the ramparts we watched. were so gallantly streaming. and the rockets' red glare. the bombs bursting in air.
11:31 pm
gave proof through the night. that our flag was still there. o say does that "star-spangled banner" yet wave oer the land of the free. and the home of the brave. ♪♪
11:32 pm
ladies and gentlemen please remain standing for invocation c.e.o. and publisher of african-american newspapers. >> shall we pray. eternal god, sovereign and sustainer, lift our hearts today in awe and gratitude. in this hallowed place where history is remembered and sacrifice honored, we pause to commemorate a long overdue recognition, the awarding of the congressional gold medal to the
11:33 pm
courageous black women, soldiers, sisters, daughters and mothers and wives who served with the six triple eight. in 1945, they crossed oceans and broke barriers amid the devastation of war, cold, dark, rat infested warehouses, they brought order, hope and human connection. they sorted millions of pieces of mail but they reconnected hearts across oceans reminding soldiers they were not forgotten. from every corner of our nation including from my home state of maryland such as my aunt, along side her sisters in arms showed the world what faith and determination could achieve when given the chance to serve.
11:34 pm
we thank you for president biden whose signature affirmed this honor and representative gwen moore and senator jerry moran and senator jackie rosen. may their example inspire continued efforts to honor truth, justice and sacrifice. we lift up the families those gathered here, may this moment bring healing, affirmation and pride. may it remind us that no act of valor is ever forgotten and no story of sack cry ties should ever go untold. bless the congress and grant members morale clarity as they serve the people of this nation and bless the united states of america made stronger, richer and more equitable because of
11:35 pm
women like those of the six triple eight and in your name that we pray and the people of god said. amen. [applause] >> please be seated. ladies and gentlemen, the honorable jake laturner, former united states representative from the 2nd district of kansas. >> mr. speaker, distinguished guests, friends, i am so humbled to be here today for this celebration and that's what this is, a long overdue celebration for some very brave women in our history. as has been said here today, the women of the six triple eight deserve to be honored with the highest award congress can give. in a time of war and in a world that questioned both their worth
11:36 pm
and capability. this all-black, all female battalion answered with courage, and excellence. they understood they were integral and enormous impact on the morale of our soldiers and not received the recognition that they deserve. this is not just about a medal, though. this is about cementing their rightful place in history. and i am pleased to be a very small part of that. i thank senator moran, senator rosen, representative moore for their hard work in making sure that this day is possible. may the legacy of the six triple eight encourage us to build a nation ever worthy of their sacrifice. thank you and god bless you. [applause]
11:37 pm
>> ladies and gentlemen, the honorable gwen moore, united states representative from the 4th district of wisconsin. [cheers and applause] >> mr. speaker, the early family, armed forces, i want to especially speak of colonel edna cummings whom you will be hearing from, honored geforts, colleagues, all who are gathered here. it is such a privilege to be standing here in emancipation hall, a sacred place and it is fitting for location for this ceremony. the capitol, emancipation hall is named for the enslaved laborers that played a crucial
11:38 pm
but often overlooked role in the construction of this capitol and they were excluded from the very freedom that it embodied. the lengthy process of constructing the u.s. capitol relied upon free and enslaved labor at every step. slaves augmented a number of projects and perhaps most notably the statue of freedom that is atop the u.s. capitol dome and is owed in part to labor and skill of enlaved art is and phillip reed but their chiropractics went unhidden and unrecognized. but now we have a black here in this -- plaqe recognizes the labor of those folks. and today, indeed, the six
11:39 pm
triple eight battalion were the unsung heroes who searched their country -- served their country and did it because they were patriotic not because they thought they would ever get any recognition. 80 years later after deployed to europe, this ceremony is a fitting end to a long journey to make sure that we do not forget their service. and none of them -- [applause] none of them did it for glory. they did it for the love of country. the story reminds us so much that while there's much that divides our country today, there is even more that joins us together. and like a commitment to service, a commitment to doing something bigger than yourself, to live voluntarily, to go into
11:40 pm
service in a war zone, even in the face of segregation at home. we want to thank the women of the six triple eight from all over the nation, the 855 women who served for their service. there are women like my constituent, who is still alive, 101 years old, private anna may robertson of milwaukee, wisconsin. [cheers and applause] i first got to know anna may robertson, because she is the mother of a friend of mine that i went to college with and also a constituent. and my office was contacted to look for some of the service medals that they thought she most certainly deserved. and as i got the service medals,
11:41 pm
i realized what a tremendous, remarkable and unknown story the six triple eight was. and that history lived right there in milwaukee, wick. -- wisconsin. and i had to think further about how this evolved. her daughter, cherry robertson wrote me a letter and i am quoting from her letter, quote, by sponsoring the bill for the congressional gold medal, you will be ensuring that the contributions and sacrifices made by the women who served in the six triple eight central postal battalion will not go unnoticed and appreciated by future generations, unquote. and you heard the obstacles, cold freezing weather, rats, but
11:42 pm
they put duty first. in the days before cell phones, email, checks, instagram, you can only imagine how important getting a letter from home was and has it sustained our young men in the theater of war. i want to quote from an owe bit you area that appeared in the "niagara gazette of the six triple eight. their work was more than than sorting mail. it was administering to the souls of soldiers and making sure they received that little piece of home that reminded them they were not forgotten and though the motto, no mail, low morale. i want to thank representative jake laturner. i remember when i sat you down
11:43 pm
in the republican cloakroom to be my co-sponsor, i remember doing all the house cussing you better damn well help me get some signatures. [applause] senator jerry moran and my good friend, senator jackie rosen for spearheading this legislation in the senate. and i also would be remiss if i didn't mention and didn't put his name in here, my legislative director chris, who was dogged about getting the signatures. took us seven years to get this done. and of course, you are going to hear from amazing people like retired army colonel edna
11:44 pm
cummings and many others that i can't name who picked up the phone and sent emails. as one reporter noted and one of the many stories about these remarkable women, quote, the six triple eight was an experiment, a pass-fail test to determine the value black women brought to the military. and let me say today, all of us bear witness to their impeccable remarkable performance, their commitment to freedom and that's why we are able to gather here today in emancipation hall to celebrate their legacy. thank you so much. [applause]
11:45 pm
>> ladies and gentlemen, the honorable jackie rosen, senator from nevada. >> good afternoon. welcome everyone. mr. speaker, the leaders, senators, my friend gwen moore who motivated to do this. members of the military, family and friends and those watching and few survivors watching us today. thank you. thank you. thank you. because we are thrilled to be here, all of us together to celebrate the incredible women of the six triple eight. [applause] and these brave women, over 800 strong made up the only
11:46 pm
all-black all-women unit deployed overseas during world war ii. and that should be applauded. [applause] to congresswoman moore and proud to work with senator moran to make sure the six triple eight central postal battalion got the recognition that they truly and rightly deserve with the congressional gold medal, congress' highest civilian honor. i got involved with these heroes because of the women who called my state of nevada home. women like corporal mabel nevilles and corporal bradley and corporal king who called nevada home. and it was corporal king's story
11:47 pm
that motivated me that these women got the recognition they deserve and even though she is no longer with us, she is with us in spirit. her heroism remains. her spirit and her legacy intact. all of these trailblazing women and not only answered the call to serve their country but did so in the face of incredible changes at the time -- challenges at the time like racism and sexism. and their mission, but to distribute mail and clear a massive backlog of 17 million letters and packages, it was a tremendous feat and it was critical. this mail was the only connection that our troops had to home that they had to family. it was their light in the darkness and loneliness of war.
11:48 pm
so for the heroes that were riskerring their lives on the front line, this mail, the mail that they so carefully worked 24 hours a day to figure out where it went and who it went to, they knew it would bring them joy, it would bring them hope and it would bring them their humanity. and despite the many challenges the women of the six triple eight and cleared that backlog in half the time, their speed dedich occasion remained true to their motto as expressed by corporal king. no mail, low morale. their service went unrecognized hidden in the margins of history. and that changes today. today, they are no longer hidden. we stand up for the six triple eight. [applause]
11:49 pm
and let this medal at this time in this place, emancipation hall and this moment stand as a permanent reminder that courage knows no color, that strength knows no gender and patriotism knows no bounds. so on before of a grateful nation, to the families, the descendants, friends and loved ones, the women of six triple eight, we thank you for your service. and we're so proud to honor you here today. you have our eternal gratitude. thank you. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, the honorable jerry moran, united states state senator from
11:50 pm
kansas. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, americans, congressional leaders, representative laturner and representative gwen moore and senator jackie rosen, it is a privilege of a lifetime to stand in front of you today to pay tribute and respect to the women of the six triple eight. the world war ii heroes we recognize today were freedom fighters who set aside the safety and comfort of their home to deploy to europe to support and fight tyranny. to support freedom which they didn't always experience in their own country. these women came from all over our nation. they came from all walks of
11:51 pm
life. i suppose in many ways, we would say they were just average americans. but these average americans were something more than just average. every time in every generation, we need role models. we need role models today. we can only strierve and hope that we can earn in our own lifetime the respect that these women earned and deserved in their lifetime. the women of the army corps central postal directory battalion as we certainly know the women of the six triple eight are soldiers who went above and beyond their duty. they broke barriers that should have never existed and they did defied odds that were stacked against them. their commitment and to
11:52 pm
eliminate backlog touched millions of soldiers and their families at home. for american soldiers on the front line, messages from home, they provided comfort and a reminder for the people back home that they were fighting for. for the families back home, the letters gave them comfort and level of certainty that their loved ones may be alive and well. written words of encouragement, love and hope offered glimpses of life when they returned home, what all of us want in most times of our lives is hope and letters from home provided hope, hope to return to, life and love of family tucked away in pockets of soldiers, letters from home give them the strength, the strength to push forward to achieve their mission. the six triple eight is
11:53 pm
especially important to me as a son, the son of a world war ii veteran who left his new bride in kansas to fight in europe. i don't know if any of the letters between my mom and dad passed through the hands of the six triple eight, but i do know that the work they did made it possible for millions of young men like my dad to keep up the fight. when these women returned home, there was no parade to greet them, no one to line the streets to thank them for their service. and we are going to correct it today. many returned to their daily lives only with the stories of their service in world war ii. in 2018, i had the honor to meet five of these exceptional women including do lorees reddick and
11:54 pm
at the dedication of the central postal director battalion at the buffalo memberrial soldier park in levenworth, kansas. a day i will never forget and a day that caused me to think what more could we do to show our grt thud. those ladies that i met all in their 90's, these five women that came to for the -- forth levenworth came to see a memorial built in their honor. three years i attended the funeral of doll res and i am grateful to see the memorial built in kansas to her honor and i regret she didn't live to see today's ceremony. i am grateful i could introduce the congressional gold medal act
11:55 pm
and i introduced it in the senate and i am saddened we weren't able to express our gratitude more quickly to the women while they are still living. i indicated that doll res saw a monument built in her honor. shortly before the world war ii, i put on my running shoes and walked to the world war ii memorial. when i got there i looked there and looked for the kansas pillar and stepped away and caused my flip phone to call my dad in kansas and i was lucky because the answering machine picked up. i probably wouldn't have said in the voicemail had he answered the phone himself. i said dad i'm at the world war ii memorial. dad, this was built in your
11:56 pm
honor. i want you to know i respect you, i thank you for your service and dad, i love you. i walked back to my office and my phone rank. it was my dad. and he said, gerald, and i said dad, he said you left me a message, but i couldn't understand it, could you repeat it. [laughter] i am no longer to repeat that message to my own dad, but i tried in my time as a member of the house of representatives and as a united states senator to honor, respect and meet our obligations to those who serve our nation. [applause] to fanny mclendon and anna may
11:57 pm
robertson who represent 850 women who served along side and on behalf and on behalf of a grateful thaition, this nation needs to learn to be grateful, and on behalf of a grateful nation and on behalf of my mom and dad, i thank you for your service. i respect you and i love you. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, the united states army band pershing's own performing the song of the women's army corps.
11:59 pm
♪♪ [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, the honorable democratic lead of the united states house of representatives, hakeem jeffries. mr. jeffries: good afternoon. this is the day that the lord has made. and we're here to rejoice and be glad in it. colonel edna w. cummings, mr. stanley early the third,
12:00 am
mrs. jude you eight early, dr. murphy., the family of our heroes, speaker johnson, leader thune, leader schumer, members of congress certainly to congresswoman gwen moore, congressman jake laturner, senator rosen, senator moran and all those assembled, it's a high honor and distinct privilege to join you all today as we recognize the extraordinary women and the extraordinary accomplishments of the six triple eight. [applause] mr. jeffries: 1945, the 855 members of the six triple eight, the largest group of black women to serve overseas during world war ii, deployed to europe during one of the most difficult periods in emcan -- american
12:01 am
history. led by charity adams early, the daughter of a preacher, a member of delta significance ma theta sort incorporated. i figured that would generate some type of reaction. and the highest ranking black woman officer at the time, these fiercely passionate patriotic and persistent members of the women's army corps deployed knowing they would confront the dual challenges of racism and sexism at the hands of their own military and beyond. lieutenant colonel early once stated, when i talk to students they say, how did it feel to know you were making history. and then she responded but you don't know you're making history
12:02 am
when it's happening. i just wanted to do my job. and what a job well done by the six triple eight. [applause] they were given six months to do what others could not, in a war zone with bombs dropping above and horrific warehouse conditions. but with their lifesaving and-sustaining battle cry of no mail, low morale, that is m-a-i-l not m-a-l-e. no mail, low morale, they defied the odds and cleared millions of pieces of mail and years of
12:03 am
backlog in only three months record time. [applause] record time. we gather today to salute these mighty veterans. we salute the ingenuity in which they sprang into battle. we salute the barriers they broke in a similar that pushed them aside. we salute the road that they paved for others. we he especially those who gave the ultimate sacrifice including private first class mary bendings ton from -- bengston from new york. she was killed in a vehicle accident along with two other members of the unit. when the war department wouldn't provide funds for their burial. the heroes of the six triple
12:04 am
eight took up a collection to pay for their caskets and themselves laid their sisters to rest. [applause] that's the spirit. the soulfulness, the sisterhood of the six triple eight. reject any efforts now to erase this history and that is why this bipartisan ceremony is so particularly important. [cheers and applause] the women of the six triple eight overcame the odds disproved the doubter and courageously contributed to the allied victory in world war ii. their efforts helped freedom prevail over fascism and that is why they are so worthy to be praised.
12:05 am
we are forever enindebted to them for their honorable service and as a result of this gold medal ceremony we forever will ensure that they will he never ever be hidden figures again. god bless you. god bless the six triple eight. may god continue to bless the united states of america. [cheers and applause] >> ladies and gentlemen the honorable charles e. schumer, democratic leader of the united states senate. >> to mr. stanley early, colonel edna cummings, my colleagues in the senate and the house, senators moran and rosen,
12:06 am
congress members moore and laturner, but relatives, and now properly remembered six triple eight. [cheers and applause] from 1943 to 1945, 2,000 acres of once quiet new york farmland operated as the busiest embarkation camp in the world. nearly 1.3 million soldiers passed through camp shanks before crossing the atlantic to join the war in europe including the women of the six triple eight central postal director, the only black all female unit to serve abroad in all of world war ii.
12:07 am
[applause] today, today, we honor the congressional gold medal, the highest civilian honor bestowed by congress to the trailblazing women of the six triple eight. and by now we know the stories of their heroes oics, their brave heroics, how they sorted millions of mail making sure soldiers received their letters and packages from back home and how they overcame doubt and discrime thaition to get the job done, how they lifted the morale of an entire army fighting for freedom. but before they could do any of this, they had to fight for even the opportunity to serve. at the time black women had just been grnted the opportunity to join the women's army corps. those who did were forced to
12:08 am
train in harsh conditions, to live in seeing degree getted barracks and routinely assigned menial tasks like janitorial duties. still, they persisted. they showed up every single day with dignity and discipline and dogged determination to serve. when the opportunity finally came for the women in the six triple eight, they answered the call and changed the course of history. [applause] they took on a mission that many others deemed impossible. they carried the weight of an entire army on their soldiers and illustrated that american heroes come from all walks of life regardless of gender, regardless of race.
12:09 am
[applause] so today with this long overdue award, the six triple eight will take their rightful place in the pan theeon of america's greatest wartime heroes. their legacy once overlooked will now endure for generations to come. so god bless the six triple eight. god bless our men and women in uniform and god bless the united states of america. this is a great day for our country. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, the honor majority leader john thune of the united states senate. >> good afternoon mr. speaker, leader schumer, senators moran
12:10 am
and rosen, congressman laturner, congressman moore. no mail, low morale. it was the motto of the six triple eight. and for my dad and millions of other americans who served overseas during world war ii, there were no emails, no facetime, no zooms, no phone calls. my uncle gill was at pearl harbor when it was hit and my grandparents didn't know whether he was alive or dead. letters were the only connection to home. and in the absence of those letters that was a real blow to soldiers already facing constant strain and danger. in early 1945, the mail situation was a big problem. warehouses in birmingham, england were filled with backlog
12:11 am
of 17 million pieces of mail. it was estimated that clearing that backlog would take six months. enter the six triple eight. the women of the six triple eight central postal bay tall i don't know all black all women of color to serve overseas during world war ii arrived in birmingham in february, and boy, did they get to work. and despite dismal working conditions, there were 7500 americans named robert smith. within three months, they had cleared the backlog. three months. half the time estimated for the task. a story of professionalism and excellence and determination worthy of being remembered all
12:12 am
on its own. but there's more to it than that because these women accomplished their task in the face of challenges no battalion of white men or even white women for that matter, would have had to face. in addition to the ordinary trials of their service, they faced racism, segregation, hostility and prejudice. but they did their jobs any way. and for these trailblazing women and their exceptional commander, major charity adams, deserve to be doubly remembered. it's an honor to be here today to witness the six triple eight receive this recognition. and i hope that this medal and this presentation today will bring additional attention to their historic story.
12:13 am
on behalf of the grateful nation, thank you. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen the honorable mike johnson, speaker of the united states house of representatives. the speaker: so, the moment we have all been waiting for. as we heard the story of the six triple eight has been buried in american history for quite some time but we are grateful for historians and advocates who helped bring this story to light. last week i was back home in louisiana and i had the honor of meeting the oldest living world war ii veteran and lives in my district. he just turned 106 years old. yeah. [applause]
12:14 am
he is sharp as a task. we gave him a congressional commend dation award. i i was reminding them, as i am now, that we are losing the survivors of this great generation. it is our solemn duty to preserve this heritage, to ensure that heroism and bravery of our greatest generation are never forgotten. and it is a biblical admonition that all of us must give honor where honor is due. that's what we do here. for their distinguished service, i'm proud that we are giving the six-triple eight the recognition they deserve. their story will never leave us. on behalf of a grateful nation it is my honor to present the
12:15 am
congressional gold medal to the six-triple eight. [applause] at this time, i ask leader thune, leader schumer, leader jeffries, senator moran, senator rosen, representative moore, representative laturner, stanley early iii and representative early to join me here on stage for the presentation of medals.
12:17 am
[applause] >> all right. thank you. thank you. mr. speaker, members of congress, sponsors of the bill, families of the six-triple
12:18 am
eight, on behalf of the friends and family and others connected with the six-triple eight, i wish to give my most sincere thanks to the congress of the united states for this great honor for these women. i wanted to say a couple of brief remarks. while representation is important, it is important -- [inaudible] i have -- i'm more of a math person than a word person. few of you know me. and we talked about -- people have talked about what the six-triple eight did. let's talk more about the numbers. the 17 million pieces of mail. the 24 hours a day, seven days a week. in 90 days. if you do that and you multiply it, divide it, you wind up with
12:19 am
one letter or package going out on average every four to six seconds. no computers, optical scanners, sort machines. all done by hand. these soldiers exemplified determination in the face of adversity, demonstrated the ability to go beyond what was thought to be possible. they overcame major obstacles to achieve success and made a substantial difference to the army. they served as an inspiring role model for young soldiers entering service today, and they are true examples of american excellency. the congressional gold medal has reinforced the principle that those who dedicate themselves fully, regardless of race or gender, can be recognized as the highest levels and above all that excellence matters.
12:20 am
finally, i do have a request. please help us to ensure that the story of the six-triple eight and the honors and recognition that they receive are protected and remembered for future generations. thank you. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, colonel edmund w. cummings, united states army retired. [cheers and applause] >> thank you all. please be seated. thank you. oh my gosh. how exciting. mr. speaker, our senate and house co-sponsors, members of congress, families,
12:21 am
distinguished guests, i am more than honored to be with you today to present the six-triple eight with our nation's highest civilian award. the long-awaited, much sought after congressional gold medal. and the six-triple eight is now list aid among the less than 200 recipients since general george washington first received it in 1776. [applause] eight decades after six-triple eight returned from the war, they did four things. they exceeded performance standards, succeeded with others failed, restored reliable mail service, and connected families to the frontlines. more importantly, world war ii was a time when the entire nation came together.
12:22 am
i would really like to acknowledge first lady eleanor roosevelt and dr. mary mccloud bethune, because dr. bethune was also an honorary general in the women's army for national defense. together, dr. mary mccloud bethune and first lady eleanor roosevelt opened a path to service an encouraged women to serve our nation. as a result, hundreds of thousands of women answered their call including the six triple eight. women of all race, throughout the u.s., throughout our territories, answered the nation's call to defend america. with 85% of the six-triple eight having college degrees or working as former school teachers, the six-triple eight were among the nation's most
12:23 am
educated work force. armed with education and patriotism, they gave their all and returned from the war and to their lives without fanfare. many said that they did their jobs and came home and the ones i talked to told me colonel, end of story. but i wouldn't accept that as the end of the story. for most that chapter of their lives did end, but until recent years the story it impacts was seldom if ever ever told. now due to the tenacity of families and hundreds of supporters worldwide the six-triple eight's history is known internationally. to date, the congressional gold medal, two post offices, museum exhibits, countless state and local resolutions, commemorative day, documentaries, street dedications in the u.s. and in france, plaques in the united kingdom, movies, books and also
12:24 am
now cement the legacy of this remarkable military unit. [applause] and the six-triple eight not only restored vital communication but this history has now restored the passion for service as evidenced by young girls who now dress up as members of the six-triple eight. but to members of congress and your staff, i appreciate your hard work. you've answered my phone calls now for over seven years. but your hard work has resulted in us restoring this honor upon the six-triple eight and i would like to offer the families a special thank you for sharing their personal stories, and to our supporters and veterans organizations worldwide who donated your time and resources to make today and many others possible, i would also like to acknowledge ms. sylvia schuster
12:25 am
banks. she's the 95-year-old sister of six-triple eight veteran gladys schuster carter. [applause] and we have some guests from the united kingdom, raise your hand. and a few others. and so in closing i'd like to say with my utmost respect, appreciation and humility, please know that everyone in here, all of you, helped shape the enduring legacy of six-triple eight. thank you so very much. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, please stand for the benediction given by dr. barry c. black, chaplain of the united states senate.
12:26 am
chaplain black: let us pray. eternal lord god, who holds the world in your hands, thank you for this congressional gold medal that honors the six-triple eight. thank you that the six-triple eight validates for us words of the poet, pleasey locks and dark complex cannot forfeit nature's claims, skin may differ but affection well spin black and
12:27 am
white the same. to were i so tall as to reach the pole or grasp the ocean at a span, i must be measured by my soul mine is the standard of the woman and man. now bless and keep us, make your face shine upon us. and be gracious to us. lift the light of your countenance upon us. and give us your peace we pray. in your sovereign name, amen. >> ladies and gentlemen, this concludes today's ceremony. thank you for joining us today. please enjoy "the good times
16 Views
IN COLLECTIONS
CSPAN3
Television Archive
Television Archive News Search Service
Uploaded by TV Archive on
