News from home was a lifeline for soldiers in World War II.
It was a problemSgt.
Hilda P. Griggscrossed the Atlantic in 1945 to fix.
The 6888th’s motto was clear: No mail, low morale."
At first, Griggs recalled that her captain thought she didn’t want to go to Europe.
“I let her know immediately that, that’s not the way I look at it.
I wanted to go because I wanted the experience, she said.
Troops constantly changed locations during the war, hampering mail delivery, and many soldiers shared common names.
The 6888th encountered 7,500 undelivered letters addressed to Robert Smith alone.
Morale suffered more and more as mail languished in warehouses.
“There was always something to do, said Griggs.
The women processed an average of 65,000 pieces of mail per shift.
In between shifts, the women were welcomed by locals and even established friendships.
