Pennsylvania HB 1806: An Act amending the act of November 24, 1998 (P.L.882, No.111), known as the Crime Victims Act, further providing for definitions; and making a related editorial change to Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 2220
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1806
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY N. NELSON, HILL-EVANS, WAXMAN, GUENST, PROBST,
FREEMAN, PIELLI, VENKAT AND SANCHEZ, AUGUST 14, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, AUGUST 15, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Title 38 (Holidays and Observances) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in veteran recognition, providing for
6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion Day.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 38 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 1307. 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion Day.
(a) Legislative findings and declarations.--The General
Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1) In November 1944, the United States War Department
lifted the ban on African American women in the Womens' Army
Corps, leading to the formation of the 6888th Central Postal
Directory Battalion.
(2) The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion was a
unique United States Army unit that had the distinction of
being the only all African American all-female battalion to
be deployed to the European Theater of Operations during
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World War II.
(3) Over 850 African American women, including 824
enlisted and 31 officers, served with the 6888th Central
Postal Directory Battalion which was commissioned February
1945 to March 1946.
(4) The specific mission of the 6888th Central Postal
Directory Battalion during World War II was to sort and clear
a multiyear backlog of mail for the American Army, Navy, Air
Force, Red Cross and uniformed civilian specialists stationed
in Europe, which represented 7 million individuals awaiting
correspondence.
(5) The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion
trained at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, and learned to:
(i) Identify enemy aircraft, ships and weapons.
(ii) Climb ropes, jump trenches and crawl under logs
wearing gas masks.
(iii) Board and evacuate ships.
(iv) March long distances with rucksacks.
(6) In February 1945, the first contingent of the 6888th
embarked from Camp Shank, New York, to sail to Britain and
their ship, the Ile de France, survived close encounters with
the Nazi U-boats, including a V-1 rocket exploding near the
dock causing the women to run and cover, and arrived safely
in Glasgow, Scotland.
(7) Despite enduring inhumane working conditions,
including dark, unheated, rat-infested aircraft hangers with
broken windows and air raids, the 6888th Central Postal
Directory Battalion created a new mail tracking system,
worked three separate eight-hour shifts, seven days per week
to process an average of 65,000 parcels per shift, or 195,000
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daily parcels, and cleared the six-month backlog of mail in
three months.
(8) After resolving the immense mail backlog in
Birmingham, the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion
sailed to France for their next assignment in Rouen, where
they encountered undelivered mail dating back two to three
years, which the battalion successfully processed and cleared
in three months.
(9) After concluding the final assignment in Paris, the
last of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion
returned to the United States aboard the ship Claymont
Victory and was disbanded in March 1946 at Fort Dix, New
Jersey, with no parades, public appreciation or official
recognition of their accomplishments.
(10) The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion was
the largest contingent of African-American women to ever
serve overseas, dispelled stereotypes and represented a
change in racial and gender roles in the military.
(11) On February 25, 2009, the 6888th Central Postal
Directory Battalion was honored by President Barack Obama at
the Women in Military Service for America Memorial at
Arlington National Cemetery.
(12) On November 30, 2018, a monument, inscribed "Women
of Determination, Dedication and Distinction" was dedicated
in Buffalo Soldier Memorial Park at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
(13) The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion was
awarded the Women's Army Corps Service Medal, the European
African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the Army Good Conduct
Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.
(14) In 2019, the Army awarded the 6888th Central Postal
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Directory Battalion the Meritorious Unit Commendation.
(15) On March 14, 2022, the Congressional Gold Medal was
awarded to members of the Women's Army Corps who were
assigned to the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion.
(16) Eighty-one members of the 6888th Central Postal
Directory Battalion were residents of this Commonwealth at
the time of enlistment:
(i) Anderson, Jennie V PVT.
(ii) Anderson, Love Peace CPL.
(iii) Artist, Mary A PFC.
(iv) Balls, Louisa PVT.
(v) Bastin, Edna PVT