A grassroots effort is underway to honor members of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion.

They were the only all-black, all-female unit overseas during World War II.

As part of the Women's Army Corps, the ladies are credited with boosting the morale of soldiers during the war. 

During this session, two bills (S.321 & HB1012) were introduced to honor the women with a Congressional gold medal.

"They wanted to make a difference," said Retired Army Lt. Col. Rodger Matthews. 

As soon as they had their marching orders in February 1945, the women of the 6888th proved they were up for the task. They adopted the motto, 'No Mail, No Morale.' 

"It's how everybody communicated, they went and found the soldiers scattered all over Europe," Matthews said, adding the unit broke all records sorting mail. 

His mother Vashti Murphy-Matthews was one of the 800-plus women.

(Photo Courtesy: US Army Center of Military History)

The unit worked on a backlog of mail as high as the ceiling in warehouses throughout Europe.

Their service was critical to millions of American Soldiers who were eager to hear from their loved ones. 

"They said that the letters from home, their family and friends were so important to them that they would not have been able to go into battle and fight if they didn't have that communication from home," said Author Mary Cronk Farrell. 

The women were also tasked with sorting mislabeled mail and returning mail belonging to soldiers who had been killed. 

They completed that mission in less than 6 months. In her book 'Standing Up Against Hate,' Farrell highlights how black women in the Army helped change the course of WWII.  

"These women went in knowing the Army was segregated, but they wanted to serve their country," Farrell said. 

In recent years, a documentary was released about the 6888th. A monument was also placed at the Buffalo Soldier Military Park at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The names of all the women are inscribed on the bust including Lieutenant Colonel Matthews' mother. 

"It's very humbling to know what she accomplished with the rest of the unit and to know the recognition they are finally receiving," he said. 

He hopes surviving members can also get recognition with a congressional gold medal. 

Of the 800+ members of the Six Triple Eight, 8 are still living. Each lives in Florida, New York, Maryland, Wisconsin, Alabama, North Carolina, Arizona, and Nevada. Their ages are between 97 and 101 years old.