The Six Triple Eight (2024)
Genre: Drama
Director: Tyler Perry
Stars: Kerry Washington, Sam Waterston, Susan Sarandon, Oprah Winfrey, Ebony Obsidian, Shanice Williams, Kylie Jefferson, Shanice Shantay, Sarah Jeffery, Pepi Sonuga, Milauna Jackson, Jay Reeves, Jeanté Godlock, Moriah Brown, Baadja-Lyne Odums, Gregg Sulkin
Synopsis: During World War II, the US Army’s only all-Black, all-women battalion is tasked with an impossible mission: sorting through a three-year backlog of 17 million pieces of mail that had not been delivered to American soldiers and completing the task within six months.
The film was released on Netflix on December 20, 2024.
* * *
[wind gusting]
[airplanes whirring]
[dramatic music playing]
All right, move out!
[bullet whooshes]
[gunfire]
[panting]
[men shouting]
[music continues]
[gunfire continues]
[groans]
Let’s go! Move it out!
[gunfire continues]
[men shouting]
[grunting, panting]
[music continues]
He’s dead! He’s dead! Leave him! Come on, let’s go!
[music fades]
[somber music playing]
[sniffling]
[woman 1] Dear Billy, I’m so worried about you.
I miss you so much. Why haven’t you written me back?
[woman 2] I don’t know if this letter will get to you.
Praying for your safe return.
[man 1] I miss you so much. Why haven’t you written me back?
[woman 3] Dear William, come back soon. Is everything okay?
[man 2] I’ve been overseas in this war for over a year now.
[girl] Dear Daddy, I miss you so much.
[woman 4] My dearest Michael, I am praying for your safe return.
[man 3] I think of you, and that is every day.
I miss you so very much.
[woman 5] Lately, it’s been a long…
[man 4] Here we are a short distance…
[woman 6] I’ve written two or three times recently…
[man 5] Lately, it’s been a long time…
[woman 7] I’m so worried about you. Why haven’t you written to me?
[indistinct chatter]
[music fades]
[upbeat jazz music playing]
Abram David, you must stop making a spectacle of yourself by parading around with the likes…
Mary Kathryn, don’t you dare.
[Mary Kathryn] It’s not proper. Quite frankly…
[Abram] Get out of her way.
[Mary Kathryn] I will not.
Okay. Well, fine.
Lena, German U-boat, twelve o’clock low, vector six niner, niner west.
[grunting]
Go!
[music continues]
Look out!
[car honking]
Don’t you worry, Miss Lena Derriecott, nothing will harm you on my plane.
Pull back on the stick! German plane, three o’clock!
Whoa!
Madam.
Thank you.
Abram David, you’re gonna get me in a world of trouble.
Oh, I’m sorry, but…
I’m sure my mother is watching.
Sorry, but we were on a combat mission.
We had to get away from the enemy.
Mary Kathryn is no Hitler.
Are you sure? [chuckles]
That’s not funny.
You heard Edward R. Murrow just like I did.
He said Hitler is a monster.
And that is exactly why I’m going into the battle.
Don’t give me the long face.
Just gonna miss you, that’s all.
Can’t believe you’re going to the Army.
Don’t worry.
You see how well I drive this old Chevrolet?
Getting my practice for when I’m in the cockpit.
Abram, this is serious.
I know you know that…
Is this out of concern for my well-being?
Or because we won’t be able to make Mary Kathryn and her friends
turn green with envy every day?
[both laughing]
But, like, here’s my thing…
[Abram laughing]
[Lena] It’s true.
Come along now, Lena.
Yes, ma’am.
Hi, Mrs. Derriecott. Have a great day.
You do the same, Abram.
Don’t you worry, Miss Lena. I will write you every chance I get.
I see that boy done dropped you off again.
You mighty close to him.
Something you wanna tell us?
Auntie, we are just friends.
That better be all it is.
Oh, Emma, she’s soon to be 18.
Going off to the university.
There’ll be a lot more boys there.
Don’t rush into nothing like your mama did.
Go on and get washed up. We need you to help us tonight.
Yes, ma’am.
Lena?
Mm.
You got the best attitude.
Your mama here wants me to make all the kosher meals and serve ’em too.
[Lena] Oh.
And you’ll be happy to know that Mr. David has hired me
to cater your boyfriend’s party.
He’s not my boyfriend.
Then why is you smiling?
[laughing]
I wish you wouldn’t fill her head with that talk.
That boy is Jewish. That can’t bit-mo be, and you know it.
Oh, Emma, she just having fun.
Well, she need to have fun with a Negro boy.
And on top of that, you talking schooling.
You know we ain’t got the money to send her to that school.
Well, we gonna get all the money we need to send that girl to the university.
Well, I sure would like to see you do it, Susie.
[huffs]
[instrumental music playing]
[man] Well, Rabbi Wise got an audience with President Roosevelt.
We must do something to help with the rescue.
Hitler has murdered two million Jews,
and I’m told women and children are in that number.
So we can’t just sit idly by.
We’re leaning on every official we can to get a humanitarian effort underway.
It’s a horror the imagination cannot grasp.
There were concentration camps. Now there are extermination camps.
What a brave boy your Abram is.
Excuse me.
No, thank you, Lena.
Indeed, he is.
His desire was to be a Ritchie Boy, but he’s not fluent in German.
[music continues]
Finally. The place where you belong.
I can’t stay long. This party is for you. You should be in there.
Some going-away party.
All they’re talking about is how bad the war is.
Well… it is.
Right now, I’d rather be out here with you.
I’m gonna miss you, Lena.
I’m gonna miss you too.
But…
But I better be going.
If my mother knew I was here, I’d be as good as dead.
Well, at least you won’t kill Mary Kathryn.
[music continues]
She is a horrible person for treating you that way
because of the color of your skin.
It’s not the only reason.
She likes you.
[sighs]
She thinks we’re courting, even though we’re not.
We’re just…
friends.
[soft music playing]
Well, you tell that story enough to others.
Maybe we started to believe it ourselves.
Kiss me.
[scoffs, exhales]
I am not kissing you. What are you saying…
♪ You made me love you ♪
♪ I didn’t wanna do it I didn’t wanna do it ♪
You have the worst voice.
♪ You made me want you And all the time you knew it… ♪
Stop it.
Stop it!
Gosh.
When you kiss me.
[music continues]
[both giggle]
Lena Derriecott,
I’m in love with you.
And I know you feel the same way.
I’m gonna fight in this war, and…
I want you to wear this ring as a promise that you will wait for me to return
so that we can start to acknowledge what we have both denied for far too long.
You know this is not right in the eyes of many people.
The only eyes that matter are ours.
Lena.
[gasps]
Ain’t you supposed to be working?
Yes, ma’am.
The tray.
Yes, ma’am.
Yes, ma’am.
Hi, Mrs. Derriecott.
If you wanna court my daughter,
you show up at my house like a proper gentleman
and ask me and her father.
Do you understand me?
Yes, ma’am.
And when I return from the war,
that’ll be my first mission.
Anything from my boys?
I’m sorry, ma’am.
[soft music playing]
[Susie] Where you get that ring?
Cracker Jack box.
[yelps]
Little girl!
Sorry, Mama.
He ain’t been gone no more than a few months.
Your husband been gone longer than that with no word of where he is.
You watch yourself.
[music continues]
I guess she didn’t get no mail.
And when they start putting rings in Cracker Jack boxes?
[man on radio] Thousands of WACs, trained and disciplined the Army way,
are now on duty all over this country and overseas.
But thousands more are needed. Women from all walks of life.
Salesgirls, industrial workers, librarians,
housewives, entertainers…
Put that away and pay attention, Lena.
Yes, ma’am.
[man] …all creeds, for the next big step in their new life.
Ready to serve with the Army,
to do the jobs the Army thinks they do best.
Some do officers’ training school…
[soft music playing]
Excuse me?
Oh!
Sorry.
Mama?
Was that Mr. David’s car?
Uh, come and sit.
Mr. David brought this by for you.
[music continues]
[Lena sighs]
[crying]
Mama!
I know, baby, I know.
[crying continues]
[music fades]
[Emma] She ain’t talk much at all for weeks.
[Susie] Yeah, I know.
She just closed off.
That poor boy.
They’ve been knowing one another since they were little.
Seemed like he just got there. Mm.
Well, I sure hope Lionel comes back with money for her schooling.
At least we can give her that.
Has he ever come back with any money?
Don’t do that.
Shh.
Thought you was sleeping.
Probably couldn’t, huh?
Mama, I made a decision.
Okay.
After I graduate…
I’m going to join the Army.
I wanna fight Hitler.
Look at me, baby.
I know you are hurtin’ about Abram. We all are.
But that ain’t no reason for you to go to no Army.
And from what I hear tell,
ain’t no Negro woman doing nothing in no Army
but cooking and cleaning for the white folks.
Hell, you can stay right here and do that.
You is going to that university.
With what money?
I’m going to join the Army…
as soon as I graduate.
That’s what I’m gonna do.
I don’t have time, Mama.
[Emma] You have plenty of time.
[Susie] Stop fussing, Emma. You’re fussy, fussy, fussy.
Well, I think this is me.
Is that…?
[chuckles] Here. You take this. And you be sure to eat, you hear?
Susie, she already said that she can only have one suitcase,
and you’ve already put food in it.
You gonna have her clothes smelling like pork and beans.
[man 1] “Betty-Ann Morris. Susanne Jones.”
“Lena Derriecott.”
Yes, sir. That’s me.
[man 1] It’s time to board.
We gonna miss you.
I’m gonna miss you too.
We love you.
I love you too.
I love you.
[soft music playing]
I’ll write.
Write me.
Promise.
Okay.
Bye.
Bye.
Bye.
Bye.
[train whistle blowing]
I hope she’s gonna be safe.
[Susie] She will.
[man 2] All aboard!
Emma? You crying?
They ain’t gonna let no Negro women near Europe, let alone Hitler.
So you dry your eyes and come on. She ain’t going nowhere but to Georgia.
[man 2] I need you all to come with me.
No, not you all.
You over there, let’s go.
Are you coming?
Well, I’m assuming you’re separating the white women.
I am a Negro.
Well, we must done crossed the Mason-Dixon Line.
Welcome to the South, ladies.
Segregation is just in them crackers’ blood.
You ain’t said nothin’ since we been on this train.
What’s your name?
Lena Derriecott. I’m from Philadelphia.
Johnnie Mae Burton, mine. You?
Bernice Baker. I’m from New York.
And what about you, Miss Mulatto?
She is not mulatto.
Her mother is Mexican, and her father is a Negro.
He was my uncle. You are so rude.
I didn’t mean no harm.
Sounded like that to me.
I’m Dolores Washington. This is my cousin, Elaine White.
How do you do?
Fine.
Well, I’m just a little tired.
Had to come up North and stay with my aunt and her nine children in one room
just to get in the Army.
They wouldn’t send me nowhere in the South.
Elaine, myself, and four other Negro women took the test.
We were told we all failed.
I have spent three years at Spelman College, and…
And Dolores here is a whiz who loves history.
So I knew that couldn’t be. So you know what she did?
She wrote a letter directly to Mary McLeod Bethune.
The Mary McLeod Bethune?
Who is that?
Oh Lord. Where you from?
The country.
Mary McLeod Bethune is head of the National Council of Negro Women.
She’s on the president’s Black cabinet,
and she’s close personal friends with Eleanor Roosevelt herself.
How am I supposed to know about a McLoud?
[Bernice] It’s McLeod.
Y’all keep making fun of me.
Worse than my husband.
[uplifting music playing]
[women chattering, giggling]
[music fades]
What are y’all waiting on? Hurry up and get down from there.
You mean to tell me I left home to deal with the same bullshit in the Army?
How the hell we gonna get down?
Come on.
We’ll help you.
Ooh, I’m gonna like it here.
I’ll help you.
[soft music playing]
[grunts]
Hi. I’m Hugh Bell.
Lena Derriecott.
Welcome. If you need anything at all, I’ve been here a year.
I know a lot, and I could show you around.
You just gonna show her around? We all wanna be showed around.
[women chuckling]
[man] Ma’am.
All right, let’s go. Ladies.
Lord, you can help me anytime, shit.
[gasping, sighing]
Johnnie Mae! You should not use that language.
What, you a preacher?
My father is.
Hm. Lord, I just got out of hell to come to another hell.
She trying to put me in a third hell.
We’re just…
She gonna cover her ears up.
Make sure you have your birth certificates in hand.
You all, come with me.
[uplifting music playing]
Right through there.
Right through that door.
Thank you.
[grunts]
One more meal, and you’ll be over the weight limit.
Roll up your sleeve and get ready for your shot.
Next.
[groans]
Damn, how long you gonna stick me?
How is this supposed to fit us? I can’t get my titties in this.
They are called breasts, Johnnie Mae. Have some class.
Them little things you got is called breasts.
This is Martha, this is Mary.
These are titties.
And they ain’t going in this uniform.
[all chattering]
Well, this ain’t much.
Ah. Where’d you think you were going? The Waldorf?
She gonna leave me alone.
Attention!
You will hear that a lot.
When you do,
line up in front of a bunk,
looking straight ahead.
Do it now! Let’s go!
Attention!
Soldiers,
I am Captain Charity Adams,
and I will be your commanding officer.
What that means is when I say “do it,” you get it done.
There are rules for the Army, and they must be abided.
And they are strict.
I expect you to follow them to the letter. No exceptions. None will be tolerated.
We start training at 0630. You have to be here at reveille.
If you are on time, you are late, so you must be early.
[dramatic music playing]
Each of you has a locker and a trunk.
Everything you own must fit inside those two items.
You will not wear complicated makeup.
You have to shave your legs.
You must use deodorant, and you must shower at least once a day.
And if you do not know how to use a tampon, we will teach you.
You have to stand up straight.
Posture is important.
We walk with our head up,
our back straight, and our butt in.
That is how we walk.
Your uniform must be perfect.
Lieutenant Campbell will teach you how to make them perfect.
These uniforms were designed for the pencil figure of a white woman,
not the curves of a Negro.
But I am sure that more than a few of us
know how to make use of a needle and thread,
and so we will make them perfect.
They must be perfect.
No exceptions.
You are not only in the Army,
you are women, and you are Negroes.
Because you are Negroes and women,
you do not have the luxury to be as good as the white soldiers.
You have the burden to be better.
You are not only representing America,
you are representing the Negroes of America.
[music continues]
Welcome to the Women’s Army Corps.
[music fades]
Mrs. Roosevelt.
Hello, George.
Where’s my husband?
He’s in the Oval, in a meeting, ma’am.
Very well.
George, who’s that woman by the gates?
I’m not sure, ma’am. She’s been there for two days now.
Really?
What does she want?
I’m not sure. Would you like me to find out, ma’am?
Yes, George. Thank you.
[all chattering]
[men shouting]
[playing reveille]
[music ends]
Look alive, ladies!
There are photographers around at all times,
taking photos of you,
watching you, reportin’ on you.
A lot of people do not want us to succeed.
A lot of people do not want us here.
Private, your hat is too high.
Unlike some other folks here,
we have the most to prove.
Now… now is where you show the proof.
I will not tolerate fighting and bickering among you.
I will not tolerate disrespect.
I will not lie to you,
and you will not lie to me without extreme consequences.
Get your arms up, Private!
Now, if you are thinking that I am being hard on you, you are correct.
But that is because I am giving you my best,
and you will give me yours.
I don’t think that’s your best, Private.
Get moving.
[panting]
Stop!
You three.
You, you, and you, come here.
I need women soldiers who know what it feels like to struggle.
Who, from the moment they were born, have had to fight to survive.
This is your first strike.
Three, and you are out of here.
Am I clear?
Understand?
Yes, Captain.
Fall in line.
Let’s go, ladies! Let’s try this again!
Arms up!
Show me you have some fight in you!
[dramatic music playing]
[women panting]
[Adams] Come on, ladies! Are you at war, or are you taking a nap?
[Campbell] To the top!
[Adams] Let’s go!
[Campbell] Let’s go! Pick up the pace!
Pick it up!
[Adams] Seven, eight, nine, ten!
Let’s go! Let’s go! Pick up the pace!
Keep your heads down!
[women groaning]
[Adams] Let’s go, ladies!
Pick up the pace!
[woman] Move, move, move!
This is not a tea party!
Let’s go!
Heads down!
[Adams] Come on!
I wanna see your best!
Girl, move!
I don’t wanna be looking up your tail!
You trying to get shot too? I ain’t going home ’cause of you.
Let’s go! Let’s go! Pick up the pace!
Come on, Lena, you can do this.
[Adams] Let’s go, ladies, let’s go!
Come on!
[Adams] Come on!
Come on, ladies, give me your best!
Let’s go!
[women shouting]
[women groaning, panting]
[Adams] Let’s go, ladies!
[soft music playing]
[Eleanor] George, she’s out there in the rain.
Did we find out what she wants?
She said she’s been waiting to see you, ma’am.
Get me an umbrella, please.
Yes, ma’am.
George, cover her with your umbrella.
Yes, ma’am.
Thank you, sir.
Hello. You are going to catch a terrible cold out here.
You’ve been out here for days.
I was wanting to see you.
This must be very important.
I’m from West Virginia.
My husband is a coal miner, and I know we’re nobodies in this world.
No, everybody is somebody.
Well, I just don’t know what else to do.
This is a photograph of my son Vernon and his brother Elmer.
[Eleanor] Oh, beautiful.
[woman] Thank you, ma’am.
They left to fight in the war three years ago,
and I haven’t heard from them since.
[crying]
I don’t know what to do. I’m just worried out of my mind.
Well, you should write to them.
I write all the time, but I never hear back.
No letters, nothing.
Why is that?
Mrs. Roosevelt, this is happening all over the country.
We are not hearing from or able to get word to them.
Well, this can’t be.
Come on inside and tell me all about it.
Thank you, ma’am. Thank you.
What the hell?
Girl, what have you done to your breasts?
I bound them. That’s the only way they’re gonna fit in this uniform.
Elaine, you can sew real well. Can you fix it for her?
Uh-uh. I don’t want her doing nothing for me.
You hush. Give me the shirt.
My feet hurt so bad. It’s worse than working in a cotton mill.
I thought coming here would be a little change from that.
Is that why you came?
That, and that nigga hit me one too many time.
Language!
[scoffs] Why did you come?
I wanna go to school and at the same time help our country.
Same. I’d like to get my master’s in history.
I don’t know about helping no country that treat us like shit.
You got to lighten up, preacher’s daughter.
Johnnie Mae, I have always been a proper young lady.
You should try it. You shouldn’t be using that language.
Well, you go on and be who the preacher taught you to be.
I’m gonna be Johnnie Mae.
If you’re angry with your country, why be here?
Ain’t no jobs for me but working in a field, cotton mill,
or some white folk kitchen.
So I said I might as well.
Lena. Why did you come?
Hm?
I wanna help my country too.
I wanna fight Hitler.
Lord, chile, I don’t believe that, not one bit.
What?
Hey, ladies, why did y’all come here?
Draft was gonna take my fiancé.
[woman 1] Fight for my country.
[woman 2] Girl, shoot, I’m trying to bring my husband home soon.
[woman 3] Wasn’t nothing for me in Texas.
[woman 4] I wanted to go to school.
[woman 5] Me too.
[woman 6] I wanted to travel the world.
Good luck with that. Y’all made it to Georgia.
[all laughing]
Now, while some of y’all lying,
I’m gonna tell y’all the real reason why I came.
[all] Why?
For the men.
[all laughing]
[men shouting]
They are sending another white unit to Europe?
Yes, I can see that, Lieutenant.
And you know they are not half as qualified.
I know.
I’ve been asking for orders.
We can’t be doing all this in vain,
but I don’t know what else to do to show them we are ready.
[door opens]
[metal clanking]
[all groaning]
[dramatic music playing]
[women coughing]
[coughing]
This right here is not helping.
[gasping]
[Adams] Get up on your feet!
[Abram] Now, Miss Lena. This is no way to get to fight Hitler.
You have to be strong.
Come on, you can do it.
Get up!
I’m trying.
Not…
…hard enough!
[gasps, coughs]
You are embarrassing your entire race.
They are already of the opinion
that the Negro woman is dumb, inferior, and lazy.
And I’ll be damned if I allow a woman in my unit to prove them correct.
Now you answer my question. Are you dumb or inferior or lazy?
No, ma’am.
Well then, do you just wanna go home?
No, ma’am. I have to stay here.
Why?
[panting]
I wanna fight for my country.
You wanna fight?
You don’t look like a fighter down on this ground.
You look like a child who doesn’t have what it takes
to be in a unit full of strong women soldiers.
This is your second strike.
Now, you get on up, or you are out of here today.
Hey, Lena, does she remind you of anybody?
[soft music plays]
[pants]
Mary Kathryn.
And we know what to do with her.
[chuckles] Vector.
Niner.
Niner west.
Get on up, soldier.
[dramatic music playing]
[crying]
[music fades]
You better eat. You’re gonna need your strength.
She’s right, Lena.
[scoffs] She should just go on and quit. Captain Adams don’t like her anyway.
Why would you say that to her?
It’s true. She don’t.
You are not a nice person at all.
I’m honest.
Don’t you listen to her. You’re gonna make it. You will.
And he always looking at you.
Johnnie Mae, are you jealous of her?
Girl, hush. If I wanted him, I could have him.
I ain’t jealous of her skinny tail. She ain’t worried about him no way.
Only thing she think about is that Abram.
What did you say?
I bunk next to you. You call his name every night.
Hell, I can’t get no sleep.
Abram this, Abram that.
“Where are you, Abram? Abram, where are…”
Don’t you dare mention his name again.
Now, I have let you push me around and say all kinds of things,
but don’t you dare say his name.
You deserved that.
[Bernice] Mm-hmm.
[bugle music playing]
[phone ringing]
This is the office of Colonel Davenport. May I take a message?
[man] …jobs the Army way now begins.
WACs, fit, alert, proud of their corps,
prepared for the next big step in their new life.
Replacing soldiers at switchboards.
Serving as dispatchers for various branches of the Army.
Motor transport, where women have proved their ability
to maintain and repair cars and trucks.
They’re good drivers and mechanics.
In Army motor pools.
In these and many other fields, taking over important jobs for the Army.
Through these replacements, playing a vital role in winning the war.
[music ends]
At ease.
You wanted to see me, Adams?
Yes, sir.
I know you are persistent.
If this has anything to do with you having orders…
It does, sir.
I have graduated hundreds of women,
and this month, another 38 are about to do the same.
As you know, I have a 97% success rate. We are ready to be called to duty, sir.
[officer] Are you sure about that?
I don’t think you’re ready for an assignment.
Sir, with all due respect, the white women…
They’re more qualified.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a meeting.
Sir, I…
I have a meeting.
Yes, sir.
She is…
[groaning]
Gentlemen, you know my wife.
And this is Mary McLeod Bethune.
Please be seated.
I’ll get right down to it.
Over the past few weeks,
my wife and I have been talking about the problems we are having with the mail
and our soldiers’ morale.
Care to explain?
There has been a serious blockage in the mail,
simply because we have needed every available vehicle
to bring supplies to the front lines.
General Halt here can speak to the magnitude of the issue.
General?
[Halt] Uh, yes, sir.
Now, Mr. President, helping our soldiers win the war is our priority.
Um…
The mail had to take a lesser rank of importance.
I understand that.
What I don’t understand is how anyone in this room
cannot see the importance of something as simple as a letter from home
and what it can do for morale.
This is the only way they can communicate outside of the battle.
But the orders at hand are the most important ones,
for the supplies for the front lines.
So are you saying to me
that there is no way to get the mail to these men?
That is unacceptable.
Mary.
As I travel the country,
these are the same stories I hear everywhere.
Worried parents, wives,
children, loved ones,
all wondering why they haven’t received any mail.
Not one letter or so much as a postcard
from the men who’ve been fighting for our country…
Mr. President, I can assure you
that we have, uh, put many companies on this assignment,
but it has proven to be a logistical nightmare at this point.
[scoffs]
We even tried the Women’s Army Corps.
You mean the white Women’s Army Corps?
[soft music playing]
Well, is there another?
Are you not aware, General,
there are Negro women serving in the Women’s Army Corps?
But this mail situation is complicated.
Not as simple as just dropping some letters in the mailbox.
There are reasons for the backlog that are there.
Well, it’d require a great deal of skill
to be able to sort it all out.
With all due respect, General,
the Negro women of the Women’s Army Corps are very smart women,
being led by a remarkable Negro woman,
Captain Charity Adams.
She’s brilliant.
She has a triple major in physics, mathematics, Latin.
So I assure you, Mr. President,
the Negro women of the WAC unit
possess the skills and the leadership
to get this mail delivered.
[music continues]
[scoffs]
There he is!
[Dolores] Ooh. You go on, we’ll hold you a seat.
Do you like him?
Seems nice enough.
She like him. But he ain’t that boy back home.
Don’t you say his name.
I ain’t.
Go on, talk to him.
[all] Hey, Private.
Hello, ladies.
Hi.
Good to see you come out and have some fun.
I’ve been hoping to see you here for weeks.
And congratulations on making it through.
Barely. I’m still not as good as the other ladies.
I think you’re stronger than you know.
Thank you.
But you don’t know me.
I know your name is Lena Derriecott.
Mm.
Came from a town outside Philadelphia.
You like jasmine perfume, and you don’t like milk.
You add up the pounds of fuel really fast on the airplane,
and you know a lot about them.
And you are here to prove something to more than just yourself.
How do you know all of that?
It’s just…
when a man like me sees a woman
who makes him question his next big decisions,
I wanna find out why.
What are you talking about?
This is gonna sound crazy,
but I’m supposed to get married next weekend.
I wasn’t sure about it at all,
and then I saw you. Now I’m really not sure.
My mother and my aunt told me about men like you, smooth talkers.
Excuse me.
[splutters]
I promise I’m telling you the truth, Miss Lena.
Can we sit together inside?
[fanfare playing]
Now, what are y’all doing here?
Well, it looks to me like we are about to watch a movie.
Not from these seats.
They can all go to the back.
Well now, I am an officer, and I chose these seats.
My ladies are not moving, Captain Matthews.
Mm. I heard about you.
Mm.
You’re the troublemaker.
Always trying to find a fight.
Always ready for one.
Hm. [chuckles]
[dramatic music playing]
We are not moving. You all can sit in the back.
We don’t need to listen to the likes of you, nigger.
You son of a bitch! I will…
You will do nothing.
[film narrator] …of which Germany gambled everything.
Sit down.
[man] Come on, boys. Let’s leave these coons.
No. I don’t know who you think you are, but this is the United States Army.
I will not have this disrespect. Give me your name!
Who the hell do you think you are?
I am Captain Charity Adams,
and you will salute me.
That ain’t never gonna happen.
[music continues]
Get my hat.
You!
I’m sorry, Captain Adams.
It’s just when them crackers be coming at me, I just see red.
You don’t think we all feel that way sometimes?
I don’t care what they do. You don’t let them bait you.
Because you in this uniform, you must behave!
They will be court-martialed,
but you can never ever give them what they want.
[music fades]
Adams. What is it?
Sir, my ladies were harassed
and asked to move from their seats at the theater.
Several white soldiers, including Captain Matthews,
were insulting and disrespectful.
I will not stand for this bigotry.
We have the same rights as any white soldier.
Anything less is inexcusable.
Can you give it a rest?
Sir, with all due respect, we are treated like…
I have orders for you.
You and the Six Triple Eight Battalion are headed to Europe.
You’ll head out tomorrow by plane,
and your troops will arrive by boat on the 11th.
Here are your orders.
You are not to open this until you are on the plane and over the Atlantic.
Dismissed.
[uplifting music playing]
Susie!
You lied to me.
What?
They are shipping Lena to Europe.
What?
There.
[gasps]
[music intensifies]
It’s a lot of water.
[sighs]
How are you so calm? You been drinking?
No.
[chuckles] I was about to say, “Give me some.”
[both laughing]
Should you open it?
Well, I don’t wanna be the first one.
And all of them have two envelopes, but we only have one.
I can’t figure out what the other one says.
One’s from the Army…
Abbie.
…one’s from the War Department.
[exhales]
They’re sending us without proper orders from the War Department?
Looks that way to me.
You can’t command troops unless you have…
War Department orders. I know.
[sighs]
There.
The Postal Battalion?
[sighs]
They think the only thing we good for is deliver some damn mail.
[clicking tongue] Shit.
So they have a Negro at the Oval Office,
telling me these women could do this job. [scoffs]
I tell you, took all I had to keep myself together.
[piano music playing]
[Halt] I mean, they think a bunch of Negro women can do this job?
They have to be reasonably intelligent.
Reasonably.
And I never seen a smart Negro,
let alone a woman one.
Well, they have arrived, sir.
Oh well, go get ’em.
It’s your idea to give them a reception.
Anything that can get me drinking.
General, this is Major Charity Adams.
At ease.
So…
you’re the infamous Adams.
I don’t know about infamous, sir.
Oh no.
I heard about your antics at the base around, uh, integration,
drinking at white fountains,
the thing at the Post Theater, and so on.
Now they promoted you to major.
So do you know why you’re here?
Yes, sir.
Although I still have not gotten orders from the War Department, sir.
No, never mind that. They’ll come. I was talking about the assignment.
Yes, sir. We were told we are here to redirect the mail, sir?
And y’all are confident that, uh, you can do the job
in the short six months we’ve allotted?
Six months seems generous, sir, so yes, I believe we can.
Well, you hear that, gentlemen?
[all laughing]
They can do it.
Six months is generous.
And your troops are, uh, on the way.
They’re on the ÃŽle de France, so they’re comfortable.
It’s a very nice ship.
It can, uh, turn on a dime
if a German U-boat was in the area, or any other danger.
Yes, sir.
Yeah.
And it can outmaneuver, quickly,
an incoming torpedo.
Well, sir, I’m sure between that and their escorts,
I’m sure they will get here safely.
There’s no escorts.
And unfortunately, the, uh, place where your troops were to be housed
was, uh, bombed just before your arrival.
But don’t you worry,
I personally approved accommodations
that I’m sure you gonna find appropriate.
Thank you, sir.
[soft music playing]
Can the troops march?
Yes, sir.
I have the best marching troop you have ever seen, sir.
Your troops will be marching off the ship upon their arrival.
[Halt] Come on, Lee.
[music fades]
[people chattering]
[exhales deeply]
[thunder, waves crashing]
[ship creaking]
[soft music playing]
[Lena gasps]
What does all this tossing and turning remind you of?
You,
driving me in the back of that rumble seat.
We had so much fun. [chuckles]
I knew you’d make it through.
I also knew you’d come to find me.
You can be determined when you want to, Miss Lena Derriecott.
[exhales]
I miss you so much, Abram. [gasps]
[Bernice] Hey, Lena, hurry up with those towels.
[women groaning]
[ship creaking]
[ship alarm blaring]
[all screaming]
Oh my God!
[Adams] We have 855 women on a civilian ship,
no military escort, zigzagging across the ocean,
and he wants them to march right off?
Lord Jesus.
Noel, I asked for a mission.
Well, it don’t seem like we ever gonna get a chance…
Mm.
…to prove ’em wrong.
Especially not with something as easy as delivering mail.
And giving us six months to do it.
That’s because they don’t believe we can do it.
These white men.
Negro men too.
Like Howard.
Oh, please don’t mention him.
I’m trying to forget him.
Oh, girl, don’t mention him.
He was the worst mistake I ever made in my life.
[both chuckling]
What we looked like,
sneaking out of the barracks to catch him at the movies with…
Norma Jean. Your nemesis. [laughing]
She was such a tramp.
You were so mad when you saw him.
I looked at the back of your head, you still had a roller in it. [laughs]
See…
[both laughing]
Charity, you know those generals were laughing for a reason, right?
Mm-hm. Showing his whole hand.
And six months to seem generous?
Mm.
Yeah.
Noel. Hm?
Oh, Noel, where did they say that mail was?
[music ends]
Good evening, soldiers.
Can I help you, ma’am?
You will salute.
Sorry, ma’am.
So where’s this mail?
There’s some in here.
Well, soldiers, open the door.
[soft music playing]
[man] Would you like to see all the hangars?
They are all this full.
How many are there?
[man] All of them.
Oh my God.
[Campbell] You trained them well.
Fall in!
[music continues]
Six Triple Eight Battalion!
Dress right, dress!
Ready, two.
Cover!
Ready, two!
Now, I know you had a hard way over…
and I know you’re cold.
Truth is, it will be cold.
But we need to put all of that out of our minds
because we have been given an order by General Halt to march today.
Right now.
And march we shall.
Captain!
[music continues]
Forward march!
[music intensifies]
Company, halt!
Battalion, eyes right!
Present arm!
[music continues]
Ready, two!
Battalion, forward march!
[groans]
[Adams panting]
[music fades]
This mail has been sitting here for over ten months.
And not just in this airplane hangar,
in all of them.
Every single hangar is full of mail.
The soldiers who are fighting this war have not heard from their loved ones,
and their loved ones have not heard from them.
Now, the War Department is getting thousands of complaints,
and the morale of our soldiers is at an all-time low.
And if our soldiers have low morale, they have no fight.
Ladies, we have been ordered to provide hope
and communication
and care packages
to our exhausted soldiers on the front lines
and to let their families back home know if they are safe.
Or…
Or if they have died in battle.
Now, I’m told
that a few have tried to unravel this situation.
But they could not do it…
so they sent us.
But make no mistake, ladies,
they did not send us because they thought we could do it.
We are here because they are sure we cannot.
They have only given us a six-month ticking clock.
And I thought that was a long time
until I realized the magnitude of this situation.
When there is no mail, there is low morale.
But all that said…
[soft music playing]
…this is our mission,
and we will not fail.
[Adams] Here’s how we will accomplish our mission.
Our drivers will come here to the hangar.
They will pick up the mail and load it onto the trucks
according to Army number.
It will then be delivered to our home base,
which is the King Edward School.
I wanna warn you,
there’s no need to complain because I know about the vermin.
I know that it is cold. There is no heat.
But I also know that we are at war,
and when you are at war, you make do.
We are no strangers to making a shack a home.
Most of our mothers have had to do it as well.
So we will start by organizing a system by which we process all this mail.
And this is where we gonna do it.
[“Air Mail Special” by Ella Fitzgerald featuring The Ray Charles Singers playing]
[scatting]
Now, as drivers, you never ever leave this route.
This is your way to and from the airfield.
[music, scatting continues]
“It is hereby known that Major Charity Adams
is in full command of the Six Triple Eight Battalion.”
You finally got the orders?
No. I got to thinking.
They don’t wanna give me orders ’cause they want us to be chaotic.
I’m not waiting for them to tell me. I’m telling them I took command.
I wrote it myself.
Send it in, Captain.
Yes, ma’am.
♪ This is the name of this song It’s called “Air Mail Special” ♪
♪ Get on, get on The special cargo air mail ♪
[scatting]
Bring it in!
Let’s go!
You know you’re still calling that name I’m not allowed to say again.
I know some of you think that this is impossible,
but there is only one way to eat an elephant,
and that is one bite at a time.
[music, scatting continues]
[music ends]
Lena, you don’t have to read every name, you know.
Look at the numbers. That’s the best way to get it organized.
[Johnnie] Oh.
[metal clanging]
Hey!
You don’t do that.
You don’t just throw them over there.
Those people have died! [panting]
They need to be shown some respect.
[exhales]
I’m sorry, Major Adams.
May I please go to the latrine?
You may.
Back to work, ladies.
I told you she was crazy.
Been quiet as a mouse this whole time, and now she wants to start screaming?
She ain’t gonna be hollering at Johnnie Mae.
You know what? I…
I think I need to use the bathroom.
Well, y’all gonna get in trouble.
I ain’t following that crazy tail to the bathroom.
[crying]
Lena?
Ah.
I’m all right.
Doesn’t look that way to me.
Dry your eyes.
I have to pee.
You sure you’re all right?
No. It’s that man.
What’d he do? Break your heart like my husband broke mine?
Will you stop it?
He’s dead.
[clicks tongue]
He was, uh…
shot down
not long after he got here.
[inhales] He was a soldier…
and he asked me to wait for him to come home.
[crying continues]
I am so sorry.
Oh God, I feel like a clock that nobody can wind.
I mean, he promised me that he would write,
and I never got any letters.
[soft music playing]
I know he did.
I wonder if his letters to me are in one of these bags.
But I didn’t know we were gonna be doing all this.
[crying continues]
Oh, Lena. I’m so sorry.
I wanna thank y’all.
I know you didn’t know, but thank you…
for helping me through this.
Honey, you listen here.
If there is a letter from him, we will find it.
We will all be looking for anything addressed to you.
It ain’t no damn way all these letters… I’m so…
You all had to go at the same time?
Sorry, Major Adams.
[Adams] Mm-hmm.
Not you.
I know…
that you don’t like me…
’cause I embarrass the unit.
But I promise you…
I will do a great job with this.
I know what these families are going through.
There’s nothing worse than not knowing.
You’re wrong.
I promise you, I will…
About me not liking you.
I like you.
And I respect you.
Now, in the beginning,
I did worry about you.
I wondered if you would make it through.
But, Lena, right when you were about to break,
something showed up and took you further.
[soft music playing]
And now I see what that was.
Lena, you are a soldier.
Now, Private,
I take seriously every order I have ever gotten in the Army,
including this one,
but I will admit to you
that I was insulted at first
that they would only let us handle the mail.
But I understand now.
Because I knew that it was important for our soldiers and their families,
but nothing has put a face on this for me…
like you have with what you shared today.
[music continues]
Thank you.
Now get back to work.
Yes, Major.
Mm-hmm.
[breathing deeply]
[music ends]
“We are two months into our six-month clock.”
“Major Adams, I do not need to tell you how important this mission is.”
“There are a lot of people counting on you and these women.”
“For what it’s worth, I know you can do this.”
“But this is not…” In all capitals.
“Not the way.”
“General Halt was delighted to hear
that every piece of mail you have gotten out in the past few weeks
has been returned as undeliverable.” [scoffs]
“He is sending telegrams to the White House every day
on your progress or lack thereof.”
Shit.
I’m sure he is, General Halt.
We sent out 57,000 pieces of mail.
Yes, and all of them undeliverable.
But, Charity, the soldiers are moving around a lot in these battles.
You think they gave us bad locator cards?
Well, I know they’re not trying to help us.
For just once, I’d like to play on an even playing field
where everything is fair.
No tricks from white folks, just fairness. Is fair too much to ask for?
No, it is not.
But you and I both know it ain’t gonna change no time soon.
This is part of making that change.
Did you see this last sentence?
“I reluctantly need to tell you
that he also wants you to host the Negro soldiers on the weekends.”
[scoffs]
I look like a hostess to you?
[jazz music playing]
[all giggling]
[chattering excitedly]
[music intensifies]
[screaming excitedly]
[all clapping to rhythm]
[all cheering]
Wow, how does she do that?
She was a Whitney Lenny stepper in Harlem.
Look at her go!
[music continues]
[clapping continues]
[all cheering]
Hey, okay!
Lord, I need me some of this fun.
[Lena] Johnnie Mae!
She is incorrigible.
She is quite confident.
I was gonna say a mess. I’m tired.
You’re amazing.
So good.
Thank you.
Come on, I want a drink.
Come on, Lena.
Well, I’ve never had a drink.
Neither have I.
And I didn’t join the Army to lose my dignity.
That is the devil’s brew.
Looks like tonight…
Yes!
…we’re all gonna get some of that brew.
Come on, it’ll be fun!
[music continues]
[women laughing]
I’mma get you a drink.
I don’t know if I should.
Oh come on, you need to relax. You can’t sit in your office all day.
There’s some soldiers over there.
Yeah, but I outrank them all.
Not all of them. You’re looking the wrong way.
Come on. He’s a lieutenant colonel.
Hi.
Hi.
[soft music playing]
Hi.
You don’t seem surprised to see me.
Not really.
Well, when I heard about tonight, I had to come keep an eye on my best girl.
Mm. Wouldn’t that be your wife at home?
I didn’t do it.
You didn’t do what?
I didn’t marry her.
Why not?
Because I met you.
[laughing]
I’m not falling for this.
Why do you think I’m trying to get you to fall for something?
Can I have this dance?
[slow jazz music playing]
I love this song.
♪ You made me love you ♪
♪ I didn’t wanna do it ♪
♪ I didn’t wanna do it… ♪
You have the worst voice.
♪ You made me… ♪
♪…want… ♪
[Lena crying]
Was it something I said?
No, I, uh…
I just, um…
All right, you tell me something that’s going on with you,
and I’ll tell you something that’s going on with me.
Well, the things I’ve seen since I’ve been here
have shook me something awful.
You’ve been to the front lines?
To deliver supplies.
How bad is it?
You can’t imagine.
[breathing heavily]
But seeing you here tonight…
you’re a sight for sore eyes.
I know I don’t know you…
but I’d like to get to know you.
I’d like you to get to know me.
I’m sorry.
And as much as I’d like to get to know you, I…
I’m still so scattered in my head and my heart about somebody that I lost.
So…
I don’t think I have anything to give to you.
[breathing deeply]
Um… [grunts]
You can give me friendship.
That I can do.
[breathing heavily]
We sure need that over here.
I’m sorry you’re so sad.
[Hugh gasps]
And I’m sorry for your loss.
[exhaling]
Now, ain’t you cold out here?
Yeah, it’s cold.
Come on.
[jazz music playing]
Excuse me?
Yes?
I’m Clemens.
I’m here to be your chaplain.
My what?
Chaplain. I was sent to help you.
[music ends]
[Collins] A-ten-hut!
Adams!
Sir, yes, sir. Is there a problem?
One of your girls here has the initials JMB.
And that JMB returned a very important letter to sender
that I am just now receiving.
The name of the recipient on that envelope is illegible.
I can see my Army number as clear as day. Can you?
Or maybe you can’t read numbers.
It’s a damn shame.
I’m only gonna ask you one more time. Who is JMB?
That would be me, sir.
You?
Damn, girl. Are you stupid?
No, sir, I am not.
Then why would you send this letter back after so much time?
You must be stupid.
All of you must be stupid!
You can’t send a little letter to who it belongs to?
Can you read or write?
Yes, sir, we can.
I’m talking to this gal.
I know, but as her commanding officer, it is my res…
Shut up, Adams!
Can you hear me? Answer the question!
Yes, sir!
I can hear you.
[Collins] You’ve been here for two months, and nothing’s done.
What the hell kind of operation are you running here?
I’m going straight to General Halt
and telling him to shut this clown show down right now.
This is ridiculous. What a waste of time. Where do they find these people?
At ease.
Back to work, ladies.
Wait, wait, wait!
Ladies, I don’t care what anybody says.
You have been doing a fine job,
even in these circumstances.
But a lot of the mail is being returned,
and that is disappointing.
[soft music playing]
I’ve been watching the process.
I have a pretty high-level understanding of what’s going on,
but I need you to tell me from your point of view.
[all chattering]
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!
One at a time.
You first.
Ma’am, at last count, we have over 7,500 Robert Smiths.
There are so many locator cards
that we have to try and find the last one by date.
And sometimes, it’s illegible.
Not to mention it’s so cold,
and some of us have to work with these gloves on.
A lot of these care packages are molded. Even the rats are biting through them.
They’ve even eaten through the names on the envelopes.
Sometimes, it’s just one or two words.
It’s like some kind of crazy crossword puzzle.
Now, Vera, you love a crossword puzzle.
Yes, ma’am.
Think you could take a look at those?
See if maybe you can help out with that?
I will.
Dolores, you were at the movie theater every weekend watching the newsreel.
If we can make out where it originated, can you tell us what’s going on there?
Yes. And if I can see when it was sent,
I might be able to tell you where a unit was headed.
Well, that might help.
Some of these letters are to Joe-Joe or Bubba.
Well, in those cases, just open the envelopes.
See if there’s any clues that can tell you who they are.
Well, with some of the packages, like clothes and things?
I worked at the Garment District in California.
I know fabrics well. I can help with that.
Ma’am? I was a postmaster in North Carolina.
I was a mortician at my daddy’s funeral home.
Girl, how’s that supposed to help us?
You notice I didn’t say my best skill.
Johnnie Mae.
[organ music playing]
[music ends]
[Clemens] I know this is a solemn time, as we have lost a great man.
President Roosevelt was a man that led us well,
and leadership is important.
It is my prayer that President Truman
will always show that same great leadership.
But in order to lead,
you have to be qualified.
In Proverbs 4:14, it reads,
“Enter not into the path of the wicked
and go not the way of evil men.”
Well, that word can also be exchanged
for evil women.
As I pray for many of you, I know it’s hard.
You are not up to being here, and you are being led by someone
who is not capable in the eyes of the Army,
nor is she qualified morally in the eyes of the Lord.
It is a shame that on Friday night,
every bulb in this place is shining brightly,
but on Sunday morning, there is a burnt-out bulb above my head.
That is not the Lord’s work.
You have to be careful when you are being led by evil.
It will cause you to miss important things.
[somber music playing]
Let us pray.
[music fades]
So he says,
“I know such an assignment is probably not what you had in mind, but I guaran…”
Those are my things.
“Dear General Halt,
the women of the Six Triple Eight are horribly wicked.”
“They are led by an evil woman who promotes debauchery,
as she is running the King Edward School like a brothel.”
I said those are my things.
Yes, as are those, by your feet.
You will be leaving here today.
I was sent here by General Halt.
I don’t care if the good Lord himself sent you.
Now, I don’t know if you know this,
but I am the daughter of a preacher.
I know the Bible from Genesis to Revelations and backwards.
I am a woman of faith and tremendous character,
and I lead these women with a stern hand
and the love and understanding that I would think a chaplain should.
Now, I have had to endure the hissing and backstabbing
of white men in the military.
I have learned every law in this Army
to defend myself and to get to where I am now,
so if you think I am afraid of you
or whatever you can write in a letter to anyone,
then you are as wrong as you were in that so-called sermon today.
This soldier here will take you wherever you want to go,
but you will be on your way right now.
Can she help you with your bags?
Why would they send a chaplain?
Well… on the night that we’re hosting the soldiers,
you know what that is.
I think…
Shh.
[airplane whirring]
That’s a V-1.
[bell ringing]
[alarm blaring]
[women chattering excitedly]
Come on now!
[bell ringing]
[whistle blowing]
Careful, careful! Go, go, go!
[woman] Get down.
[airplanes whirring]
[alarm continues]
[bombs exploding in distance]
[all chattering]
[soft music playing]
Major Adams?
What is it, Private?
Are those the coordinates where the soldiers are?
Yes. But understand you’re not supposed to be looking this close.
That’s why they are all redacting them.
We can’t have this get into enemy hands.
[music intensifies]
A symbol…
is drawn on it.
And… this letter’s from a few weeks ago.
And in this letter…
it mentions, uh, the Indian head.
[Campbell] These hand-drawn clues
are how the soldiers are secretly letting their families know
what part of the world they in.
Private, each one of the divisions of our soldiers has 16,000 men in it.
You just located 48,000 of them.
Ladies, how many of you have seen hand-drawn symbols on the letters
that resemble the division patches of our soldiers?
Hold up your hands.
[music continues]
That’s very good work, Private.
Mm-hm.
[music fades]
Johnnie Mae is gonna have a fit when we get all this mail.
[giggles] She needs to settle down.
We don’t have time for this!
Vera, we have to stay on the route.
Whoa!
And be here all day?
No!
We got some good momentum going. I’m not gonna be the one to break it.
Stop! No, stop!
What?
[gasping]
I… I think we are over a UXB.
You sure?
[dramatic music playing]
[gasping] Oh my God.
What do we… What do we do?
What Major Adams trained us to do.
We need to evacuate the truck, but we stick to our training.
Okay.
Y’all slowly get off the truck.
Slowly!
One.
Two.
Two.
Three!
Three!
Oh my Lord.
What is it?
Look.
[solemn music playing]
Lena.
Y’all better look like you’re working.
Oh, you gonna wanna see this.
Are you going to read it?
Would you give her a second?
Ladies.
Major Adams wants to see us.
There’s been an accident.
[music fades]
So the Army is not even gonna bury them?
I was told no.
I’m so sorry, ladies.
Now, I will get word back to the United States to ask for help,
but in the meantime, we are taking up this collection
because we will not allow our soldiers
to be denied the dignity of a proper burial.
♪ Lord ♪
♪ This is a mean old world ♪
♪ Folk ♪
♪ Don’t care ♪
♪ How they treat you ♪
♪ Lord ♪
♪ This is a mean old world ♪
[bugle playing “Taps”]
[music ends]
Private.
Yes, ma’am.
There are many American soldiers buried here.
If you know the day he died and the unit he was in,
you can find him here.
Can he bring you back to base?
Yes, ma’am.
Go on then.
Hey.
Can you wait for me?
Sure.
[solemn music playing]
[breathing heavily, sniffling]
[crying]
[sighing]
I knew I’d find you. I knew it.
[music continues]
[Abram] Dear Miss Lena,
vector niner, niner here.
I don’t wanna cause you concern,
but for the first time, I think that the reality of me not making it home
may be sinking in.
I know I asked you to wait for me,
and knowing you, you will.
[machine gun firing]
[Abram] But…
if I don’t make it back,
please live your life with the laughter that you had in that rumble seat,
that kind of freedom and fun.
[gunfire continues]
[Abram] Promise me you will live a long life.
Long enough for the both of us.
Promise me you will laugh enough for the both of us.
[sighs]
[Abram] I truly love you, Lena Derriecott.
I love you too, Abram David.
[Abram] I’m sorry.
I’m sorry I never had the courage to say it sooner than that night.
Look for me in the skies.
Yours forever…
Abram.
[sniffles]
[exhales deeply]
[music continues]
[music fades]
At ease.
Morning, sir.
General Lee tells me that you’re making progress.
Yes, sir.
Even though we just lost two of our soldiers.
Well, yeah. Well, that happens.
As for the progress of the mail, I disagree.
Not one of my troops has seen a bit of your progress.
Well, I’m sorry, sir. We are working as fast as we can.
Clearly not fast enough.
This cannot be your entire battalion.
No, sir.
We work 24-hour shifts, so some of our women are resting.
They’re resting?
Yes, sir.
I’m here to inspect your troops, and your troop’s not here.
That make sense, Major?
Well, sir, I…
A beauty parlor?
Yes, sir.
This is no way to spend the Army’s money.
So you are telling me
that they got time to get their hair done,
but they do not have time to be inspected by their general?
[exhales sharply]
Oh, no, sir, I’m… I…
I’m so sorry, but in there we have our night-shift women,
and they are asleep.
Now, sir, those are our showers, and my ladies are showering.
Lee.
Yes, sir?
Did you not tell this woman that I was coming for an inspection?
Yes, sir.
[Halt] And does the major not understand that inspection
is whatever I wanna inspect?
Yes, sir. She does.
This how you run a company?
[sighs]
What about that room?
May I go in that room?
Yes, sir. That is our delivery room.
Well, thank you.
Of course, sir.
[women chattering]
Attention!
What’s this mess?
Well, sir, some of the packages were chewed in half by vermin,
and the contents separated.
Our soldiers have come up with a way to figure out
which item belongs to which by the fabric.
Now, this here is where we are able to match the letters
with the soldiers that have the same first and last name.
Now, wouldn’t it be simpler just to use their number?
Well, yes, sir, that is what we tried at first.
Some of them are addressed to nicknames, so we had to do research
to make sure that they end up with the right soldier.
Wasting more of the Army’s money on perfume?
No, sir.
When we couldn’t make out the names, because some of them were smudged, um…
Some women writing letters spray them with their favorite perfume,
and, well, some of our soldiers were able to recognize those perfumes.
It was a chore,
but we were able to match the sender with the state where that perfume was sold
and then trace it back.
Step aside, gal.
Are you opening and reading this mail?
Sir, only in the case where we cannot locate the soldier, sir.
Are you kidding me?
Y’all opening and reading the letters of these white soldiers?
Sir, sometimes, that is the only way to get the clues
to find out where they might be.
This is private, Major.
Have you lost what’s little left of your mind?
Tried to go over my head,
get soldiers buried that you had killed.
You got them killed ’cause you did not train them well.
So now,
President Roosevelt has died,
this little experiment gonna be shut down immediately.
I think I’m gonna have you relieved of your duties.
And I’m gonna bring a white lieutenant in here
to show you how to run this unit!
Over my dead body, sir.
What did you say?
Sir, with all due respect,
my battalion is working day and night in horrible conditions.
We have no heat most of the time.
Gets so cold that the women have to put the water in helmets to wash themselves.
You gave us this place to turn into a barracks with no bed and no help.
And my women are harassed, and then they are befriended
only to be asked if they have tails under their skirts after midnight
because of the rumors of white soldiers.
You sent a chaplain, not to pray, but to spy on us.
We just lost two soldiers to a UXB who were highly trained,
and I know because I trained them.
And you wouldn’t even give the orders for them to have a proper burial.
Now, I know we are fighting a war, but our war starts with being Negro.
We are fighting on every front.
So as I said, sir, over my dead body, sir.
[inhales sharply]
He’s gonna court-martial me.
I… I… I feel like such a hypocrite
telling these women to maintain their dignity and decorum. [splutters]
I don’t know what came over me.
You was thinking you were right.
He was rude, acting like we haven’t done a thing.
But he is my superior officer. I know better than that.
Ma’am. I’m sorry, but we have a problem.
The women have stopped working.
Why?
I don’t know.
Back to work, ladies!
Get to work!
Get to work!
[all applauding]
[all cheering]
[inspirational music playing]
I know that Roosevelt was a sympathizer and all,
but I need you to talk to Truman. I mean, nothing’s been done.
[vehicle approaching]
You will tell the president that this is the worst mistake.
[vehicle honks]
[splutters] And that Adams gal? Yeah.
I want her court-martialed.
[men shouting]
Oh, she said it, Marshal. She said it to my face!
[soft music playing]
And them reading the white soldiers’ mail…
[scoffs]
Just a second. What’s going on out there?
The men are receiving their mail, sir.
[man] Morgan!
Yeah! Yes, sir!
Vesper!
Yes, sir!
Montgrey!
Carl!
[all chattering]
[man] Vincent!
Vaughn!
[music swells]
Mail call!
Malone! Nielson!
Incoming!
Viranelli!
Alexander!
Vincent!
Montgrey!
Frank!
Yes, sir, here!
Mail for Troutman!
Troutman!
Yeah!
[all chattering]
Here you go.
[crying]
[music continues]
Honey!
[laughing joyfully]
“I had the best day known to man.”
[indistinct chattering]
[man] Hey!
Ma’am, are you the Six Triple Eight, ma’am?
Yes, we are.
It’s the Six Triple Eight!
[music intensifies]
At ease, soldiers!
[all applauding, cheering]
[“The Journey” by H.E.R. playing]
♪ All the times you thought You’d never make it through ♪
♪ Felt just like the world Just turned its back on you ♪
♪ Didn’t stop you ♪
♪ All the times you could’ve given in And given up… ♪
[real Lena] “The Six Triple Eight Postal Battalion Directory
was the only all-Black and women of color battalion
in Europe during World War II.”
“After completing that backlog
of over 17 million pieces of mail in 90 days,
our performance impressed leadership so much,
they sent us on to Rouen, France,
where we cleared another backlog in record time.”
“It was a lot of work, a lot of sadness.”
“No one thanked us for our service
or included us in the ticker-tape parade.”
“Our hard work and selfless service was not recognized.”
“We were treated better in Europe
than we were when we returned back to the United States.”
“That is, until now.”
“People are starting to recognize us and what we did.”
“We were even given the Congressional Gold Medal
for our service.”
“Isn’t that something?”
[music continues]
[real Lena] Lord, the memories.
And yes, I did marry Hugh when we returned home.
♪ All the times you could’ve given in And given up ♪
♪ Times you didn’t know If you were strong enough ♪
♪ Still you got through ♪
♪ Somehow it’s all part of the plan ♪
♪ The journey ♪
♪ The journey ♪
♪ The journey ♪
♪ It’s the journey ♪
♪ It’s the getting there To where you’re going to ♪
♪ Going through hell But still you’re gonna make it through… ♪
[Michelle Obama] And then we move to the 20th century,
where women became full-fledged members of the United States military.
And we are joined here today, uh,
by two amazing women.
Uh, they gave me their ages, but there’s no reason to know,
’cause they look about 30, 40 to me.
Mary Ragland and Alyce Dixon,
uh, who served in the Six Triple Eight,
the only unit of African-American women in the Women’s Army Corps
to serve overseas during World War II.
Let’s please give them a round of applause.
[people applauding]
[Michelle] Again, I wanna thank you all for your service,
for your courage, for your dedication, for your commitment,
and may God bless you all, and God bless America.
[music continues]
♪ Journey ♪
♪ It’s the journey ♪
♪ It’s the getting there To where you’re going to ♪
♪ Going through hell, but still, You’re gonna make it through ♪
♪ It’s the fire that they Can’t put out inside ♪
♪ It’s a hell of a ride ♪
♪ It’s the journey ♪
♪ Oh, it’s the journey ♪
[music fades]
[“Sort It Out” by The Clark Sisters playing]
♪ You said you had faith Where has it went? ♪
♪ The way you’re moving I’m not convinced ♪
♪ So if that’s the story I got a message for ya ♪
♪ Ooh, yeah ♪
♪ ‘Cause He deliver 100% ♪
♪ So you know you gotta Go and praise much louder ♪
♪ Something He can hear ♪
♪ And go and work much harder ♪
♪ ‘Cause faith without works is dead And that ain’t real ♪
♪ ‘Cause your destiny’s ordained ♪
♪ It was already signed and sealed ♪
♪ So I suggest you praise much louder ♪
♪ Give ’em something that He can hear ♪
♪ We’ll be at attention ♪
♪ We’re gonna get it done ♪
♪ We’ll be the only ones ♪
♪ You can depend on rain or shine ♪
♪ At attention ♪
♪ We don’t need no guns ♪
♪ Give us a shot, and we’ll come ♪
♪ ‘Cause it’s the female soldier’s time ♪
♪ Well, you know what He’s got to do is ♪
♪ Sort it out ♪
♪ ‘Cause that’s who He is And what He does ♪
♪ Well, you know what He’s got to do is ♪
♪ Sort it out ♪
♪ ‘Cause that’s who He is And what He does ♪
♪ Well, you know what He’s got to do is ♪
♪ Got to do is ♪
♪ ‘Cause that’s who He is And what He does ♪
♪ Well, you know what He’s got to do is ♪
♪ Sort it out ♪
♪ ‘Cause that’s who He is And what He does ♪
♪ Sort it out ♪
♪ Sort it out ♪
♪ ‘Cause that’s who He is And what He does ♪
♪ Right on time ♪
♪ Sort it out ♪
♪ ‘Cause that’s who He is And what He does ♪
♪ Sometimes you get distracted ♪
♪ In the everyday madness ♪
♪ Don’t get caught up in traffic ♪
♪ You wanted to have it Too much to manage ♪
♪ Before you know you’re captive ♪
♪ You’ll feel no longer active ♪
♪ Can’t figure out what’s lacking ♪
♪ You lost your passion The devil’s laughing ♪
♪ Go and praise much louder ♪
♪ Oh, and make sure He can hear ♪
♪ And go and work much harder ♪
♪ ‘Cause faith without works is dead And that ain’t real ♪
♪ ‘Cause your destiny’s ordained ♪
♪ And it’s already signed and sealed ♪
♪ So I suggest you praise much louder ♪
♪ Give ’em something that He can hear ♪
♪ We’ll be at attention ♪
♪ We’re gonna get it done ♪
♪ We’ll be the only ones ♪
♪ You can depend on rain or shine ♪
♪ At attention ♪
♪ We don’t need no guns ♪
♪ Give us a shot, and we’ll come ♪
♪ ‘Cause it’s the female soldier’s time ♪
♪ Oh, well, you know ♪
♪ Well, you know what He’s got to do is ♪
♪ Sort it out ♪
♪ ‘Cause that’s who He is And what He does ♪
♪ Well, you know what He’s got to do is ♪
♪ Sort it out ♪
♪ ‘Cause that’s who He is And what He does ♪
♪ Well, you know what He’s got to do is ♪
♪ Got to do is ♪
♪ ‘Cause that’s who He is And what He does ♪
♪ Well, you know what He’s got to do is ♪
♪ Sort it out ♪
♪ ‘Cause that’s who He is And what He does ♪
♪ Sort it out ♪
♪ Sort it out ♪
♪ ‘Cause that’s who He is And what He does ♪
♪ Right on time ♪
♪ Sort it out ♪
♪ ‘Cause that’s who He is And what He does ♪
[solemn music playing]
[music continues]
[music continues]
[music continues]
[music fades]
