Veterans Day morphed from Armistice Day, which recognized the end of World War I, when fighting ceased at the 11th hour, on the 11th day, of the 11th month in 1918. Following the Second World War, Raymond Weeks, a World War II veteran, organized a “National Veterans Day” parade in Birmingham, Alabama, which was held on 11 November 1947, to recognize veterans of all wars. Congress formally recognized 11 November as Veterans Day in 1954. Today, Veterans Day is observed in recognition of all those who have served in the defense of their country — in both times of peace and times of conflict.

One of the most decorated group of veterans from Alabama was the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of African American and other minority pilots, mechanics, and support staff who served in World War II. Pilots in the group, known for the “Red Tails” that adorned their aircraft, distinguished themselves through their bravery and skill, particularly as escort pilots for bombers. Their successful combat record proved that minorities could excel in integrated units. The Red Tails played a significant role in the desegregation of the U.S. Armed Forces. Their contribution to the war and to history earned the Tuskegee Airmen numerous awards, including Distinguished Unit Citations and Distinguished Flying Crosses. In 2007, they were collectively awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the nation's highest civilian honor.

Although much less celebrated than the famous Tuskegee Airmen, African American women also played a role during the Second World War. Elizabeth DePompei, a Senior Communications Associate at the Disabled American Veterans, relates the story of one such woman: Anna Mae Robertson (née Wilson). Although Anna Mae wasn’t a combatant, DePompei calls her “a hero — a Black woman who busted down barriers.”[1] She adds, “Robertson was born March 5, 1924, and grew up in Osceola, Arkansas, where her family worked on a crop farm. When Robertson and her brother were young, their mother died. With their father out of the picture, the siblings were effectively orphaned.” Shuffled from one relative to another while they were young, Anna Mae and her brother decided that their best opportunity to be self-sufficient was to enlist in the military.

DePompei reports, “Robertson enlisted in the Women’s Army Corps in 1943 and trained in multiple states. She was eventually assigned to the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion — known as the ‘Six Triple Eight’ — and by 1945, she was on a ship headed to Birmingham, England.” She was one of 855 black women in the Six Triple Eight, the only all-Black female unit stationed overseas during World War II. The story of the Six Triple Eight reminds us of the importance all aspects of the supply chain — in this case the mail — are to the military. Journalists Hope Karnopp and La Risa R. Lynch explain:

“The women were sent to Birmingham, England, to clear a nearly three-year logjam of mail. Sacks of letters were piled ceiling-high in a dark and damp warehouse, destined for homesick soldiers fighting in Europe. They came up with their own system — some were only addressed to ‘Junior, U.S. Army’ or ‘Bob Smith.’ The battalion was charged with clearing it in six months. They cleared it in three, breaking all Army records. With the slogan ‘No Mail, Low Morale,’ the unit worked 24 hours a day, processing an average of 195,000 pieces of mail in three eight-hour shifts. They did it again in France.”[2]

DePompei adds, “Being in a segregated unit, they were also expected to be self-sustaining. That meant cooking their own food, repairing their own vehicles and maintaining their own supplies.” Retired Army Colonel Edna Cummings, a Six Triple Eight expert, told DePompei, “You had some of the best and brightest minds in the nation who were able to solve a problem.” Like the Tuskegee Airmen, members of the Six Triple Eight were eventually awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. Tyler Perry, brought Anna Mae’s story to the screen in the movie “The Six Triple Eight.”

Following the war, Anna Mae married John D. Robertson and the couple had eight children. Anna Mae’s daughter, Sheree Robertson, told DePompei, “She was just such a wonderful mother.” Anna Mae lived a remarkable (and remarkably long) life. She died this year, on 30 May, at the age of 101. The following video pays tribute to Anna Mae.

Although veterans of the Second World War are mostly gone, their stories live on. Most veterans have a tale to tell about their time spent defending the country around the world. Today would be a good day to sit with a veteran and listen to his or her story — and thank them for their service.

Footnotes

[1] Elizabeth DePompei, “Spotlighting Black Military History and the Service of Women in WWII,” Disabled American Veterans, 9 January 2024.

[2] Hope Karnopp and La Risa R. Lynch, “Milwaukee's Anna Mae Robertson, one of last surviving members of World War II's famed Six Triple Eight unit, dies at 101,” The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1 June 2025.