Portraits of Valor: Some of the Last Living Black WWII Veterans

Seventy-five years since the historic Executive Order 9981 desegregated the U.S. military, photographer Michael A. McCoy captured portraits of some of the few surviving Black veterans of World War II who served the country in the face of racial injustice and discrimination. ​ ​

Two groups were the focus of McCoy’s portraits: the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion and the Montford Point Marines.​ ​The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, a unit within the Women’s Army Corps (WAC), had 855 women in its ranks, primarily of African American descent. The unit was tasked with clearing a backlog of 17 million pieces of mail destined for troops in Europe, providing a boost in morale for the soldiers who eagerly awaited letters from their loved ones. ​ ​

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The Montford Point Marines, active from 1942 to 1949, were the first African American men admitted to the Marine Corps. Their training took place at Montford Point in Jacksonville, North Carolina, under less favorable conditions than their white counterparts faced. By the war’s conclusion, approximately 13,000 Montford Point Marines were deployed to locations including Saipan, Guam, Peleliu, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. ​ 

​Read on to learn more about these unsung heroes.​

Romay Davis, 104, is the most senior living member of the 6888th.

Michael A. McCoy

Now 104, Romay Davis made history with her service in the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, affectionately known as the Six Triple Eight. The women’s living quarters, mess halls, recreational facilities and water fountains in basic military training were segregated.  ​

Anna Mae Robertson, 99, was a member of the Six Triple Eight.

Michael A. McCoy

Pfc. Anna Mae Robertson, 99, is the most junior of the living members of the Six Triple Eight. During the battalion’s deployment, the women sorted through 7,500 undelivered letters addressed to “Robert Smith” alone, requiring them to look for clues within the mail’s contents to determine the intended recipient.  ​

Fannie Griffin McClendon, 103, a veteran of the 6888th, became an Army major.

Michael A. McCoy

Maj. Fannie Griffin McClendon, 103, is the only surviving officer from among the 855 members of the Central Postal Directory Battalion.  ​

Members of the 6888th worked in eight-hour shifts around the clock, seven days a week. Their motto wasn’t ambiguous: “No mail, low morale.” ​​