When There is No Applause
Make sure you watch the movie.
That was the encouragement my younger sister, Cheryl, gave to all her siblings. She didn’t want us to miss this moment in our United States history. She wanted us to feel the pride of one family member who never shared her story with us, but whose story and that of her fellow soldiers was shared with the world this month. In an undeniably powerful film, “The Six Triple Eight,” my aunt and godmother, Edith P. Gaskill PFC, was honored in a way that was unexpected to me. To date, we had not saluted these Black women in such a public way, so seeing her name listed in Tyler Perry’s movie was very moving.
As the movie, currently available on Netflix, states:
The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion was the only all-Black and women of color Women’s Army Corps unit to serve in Europe during World War II.
These 855 women distributed a two-year backlog of over 17 million pieces of mail in less than six months with the motto: “No mail, low morale.” They did all of this without recognition, praise or applause. My mom, who was a dedicated researcher and storyteller of hidden figures, interviewed my aunt and shared with our family that our aunt’s service along with her compatriots’ in Birmingham, England (1943-1946) was to undertake “the mammoth task mainly of forwarding mail (including holiday and birthday packages) to an estimated seven million U.S. personnel in the European Theater of Operations. Our motto “No mail, low morale,’” was very important to us.”
What happens when there is no applause? Sometimes we lose our history. Sometimes we forget the incredible work that takes place behind the scenes or, in this case, in plain view but with the curtains drawn. The stage was cleared; they all left the “operational theater”; and no one told us the true story … until now. When there is no applause, we attempt to retell the story of the people who sacrificed for our country. We do the best we can to stand and salute those who have gone before us.
I am so proud of my family members who have served our country well. I have male and female family members who have served at many different ranks, but only one female member who served in the 6888th Battalion. She carried such a legacy that I wish I had questioned her about it before she passed away on October 13, 2008. What a deep treasure she must have held in her heart for her fellow soldiers who served and completed what appeared to be an unsurmountable assignment.
In 2023, our country gave significant ovation to two Black U.S. Army pioneers: Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg and Lt. Col. Charity Adams by renaming Army Base Fort Lee, originally named after the Civil War Confederate General, to Fort Gregg-Adams. Lt. Col. Charity Adams, played by Kerry Washington, was the main character in this movie. And Lt. Gen. Gregg was the closest friend of my late father, Maj. Gen. Robert C. Gaskill, Sr. What impactful lives these soldiers led!
There will be a great deal of applause given in 2025 for leaders, CEOs, pastors, athletes, and entertainers. I hope somewhere in the middle of your hands coming together in honor of someone you admire, you will take time to watch this movie and remember my aunt and others who made history to support our American soldiers and their loved ones.
I salute you, Aunt Edith. Thank you for your service to our country. And thank you, Cheryl, for the encouragement to make the time to watch it … the tears of pain and pride flowed as I watched and listened to the theme song, “The Journey.” I will be remembering and listening with this song on repeat in 2025.
Happy New Year & New You, my friends!
Listening Library: “The Journey” (H.E.R.)
The Journey
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 you'd 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
It's the fire that they can't put out inside
It's a hell of a ride
All the times they thought that they could hold you back
But you've always known there was no chance of that
You're made (You're made) too strong
And when you're going with your heart you can go
Farther than you'd ever thought possible
Prove them all wrong
It's a part of the bigger 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
It's the fire that they can't put out inside
It's a hell of a ride
Every step you take
Is the one more step along the way on the journey
The journey
The journey, yeah
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 rideIt'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 rideIt's the journey
Oh, the journey
© 2023 Diane Warren. All Rights Reserved.
Performed by H.E.R.
America owes your military family a debt of gratitude for their service in so many ways. Thank you! I don’t know a lot about Oscar musical awards but I believe “Journey” has an opportunity to be nominated & win.
Powerful.
Mike Rich
I watched this movie last week! It was a great film and I am not surprised that you are related to one of these amazing women!
Fabulous! Thanks, Juli. I will watch this film tonight!!!