For the final week of Women’s History Month, I will focus on a topic that many may not know very much about. World War II was the biggest war in human history with the highest death toll. In history class, we learn about the hundreds of thousands of men who fought and suffered during the war to defend the United States. They deserve to be respected and honored for their service. But what about the women throughout this period? Did they play a role in the war? In this article, you’ll learn a bit more about some of America’s unsung female heroes.

During the WWII, the U.S. was eager to build up its defense. There was very high demand to create more tanks, trucks, planes, guns, and ammunition. Many manufacturers converted their production lines to produce defense equipment and machines instead. With hundreds of thousands of men gone away serving overseas on the front lines, and such high demand for more war materials, there was a dire need for someone to work in the factories. 

Women stepped up to the plate and took jobs that they normally would not have considered taking, or been allowed to take, to build up America’s defense and help us win the war. Some women were joining the workforce for the very first time in their lives. Women worked these jobs for a variety of reasons including supporting our country, supporting their male family members, or simply because they needed the money. Around 350,000 women served in the U.S. Armed Forces during WWII, which was truly a feat due to gender discrimination at the time.  

However, one group of women stood out to me in my research. They were called the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. They were an all-female group who were mostly African American, with some women from Mexican and Caribbean descent as well. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and Mary McLeod Bethune were able to rally for and succeeded to allow people of color to enter the Women’s Army Corps (WAC). The women in the 6888th Battalion were sent to England to complete a very important, specific mission: to fix the mail backlog issue. Mailing letters & packages was the only way for soldiers and their loved ones to keep in touch. Millions of letters and packages were so far backlogged that some had even been stuck for 3 years. The women were expected to sort through the mail and send it out in 6 months’ time, but they completed the daunting task in only 3 months. These women did not just sort mail and fix the backlog. They significantly boosted the morale of soldiers overseas who were finally able to receive their long-anticipated letters from loved ones. The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion received recognition & awards for their accomplishments - perhaps one of the most significant being that the surviving members of the group received the Congressional Gold Medal June '22. 

Women of different races made a significant impact on many industries of WWII. They were courageous, and they stepped far outside of their comfort zone to get the jobs done. The women of WWII were a precious resource, and modern-day women continue to be a precious resource in both domestic and non-domestic positions around the world.

• Tyler Perry Takes on the True Story of the 6888th Battalion
• Documentary honors the 6888th, forgotten all-female black WW II battalion

Manabu Ikeda will be in residence at moCa multiple times during the exhibition, working on a new, monumental drawing in a temporary studio. 

Pamela Marrero (Computer Engineering '27 ) visited MOCA over Spring Break and had this to share:
When I visited, Manabu Ikeda's exhibit at MOCA, it felt like an out-of-body experience. His artworks were so complex, detailed, and brimming with talent. Sadly, it is not often that I can take time out of my day to look at and appreciate art, however, I am so happy that I decided to enter that exhibit. 

At that moment it was just me and his works and I quite literally felt my world slip off its axis. I could not believe that I was sharing the world with someone so talented. I kept walking through the exhibit and each piece left me even more speechless. All I could say was, wow, and admire them. There were so many emotions coursing through my body, it was amazing. As I passed through all the artworks and reached the end still in disbelief about everything I just saw, he was there. He was working away on a piece, unaware that he had changed my entire perspective on art and the world itself. After I went home, trying to process everything that I had just experienced, and it made me wonder about all the artists that I have yet to see their works and meet. I encourage everyone, to go out and visit an exhibit or two and experience art. Experience other's talents because it is such an incredible experience. One thing I also learned was that you do not need to know anything about art to appreciate it, just expose yourself to it and see how it makes you feel. 

If you have something to share with the OMA community, please write to us theoma@case.edu!