Herstory Profiles: Bletchley Park, the 6888th, and Communication by Anjeanette LeBoeuf

There is so much going on in our current state of affairs, that I found myself reaching for some sort of touchstone, centering agent, even some sort of calming force. As a scholar, as someone drawn to the humanities, I knew the path forward had to include our histories. This post will look at three examples of extraordinary women during WWII and beyond: the 6888^th Unit, the women of Bletchley Park, and Julie Moore.

All three were introduced to me through popular culture, storytelling, and our dedication to preserving whole histories. At a time where we are seeing an active attack on our histories, humanities, arts, and our education systems it is even more vital that we continue to tell the stories, remember their names, and continue to walk the paths they have forged.

The 2012 British miniseries titled Bletchley Circle focuses on British women who were codebreakers and intelligent officers during WWII. There have been a some focus in cinema documenting the codebreakers and female intelligent officers, spies, and agents but they have been typically secondary characters and support. Many became aware of the contributions of Alan Turing, you can even watch the 2012 movie  The Imitation Game, where even as they are depicting the gross and inhumane treatment that Alan faced once his homosexuality was discovered, there was only a limited focus on the women that were also key figures to the breaking of the Enigma machine.

Bletchley Circle uses drama and murder mysteries to also depict the struggles that women faced after WWII when after years of being independent and working being silenced for their roles and service, regulated to secondary shifts and positions, and much more.

When you do initial research into Bletchley Park,  only male names are listed. Women were initially recruited as secretaries, clerical administration duties, and office services. Joan Clarke Murray is one of the only named female cryptanalysts. Through the unsealing of military documents decades later, we know that by January 1945, three quarters of the 8,995 personnel working at Bletchley were women.

They were working on computers, coding, military strategies, ciphers, and as interpreters. They proved with their steadfast service that women had the intelligence, stamina, strength and that gender does not stop one’s call to duty. Many of their contributions were sealed under the Official Secrets Act but in the last two decades have been unsealed but many still are unknown.

Bletchley Circle can be streamed on Amazon Prime, Peacock, and other streaming services.

I was first introduced to the incredible story of the 6888^th women in October of 2024 while visiting the Veteran’s Memorial in St. Louis, Missouri. I was not shocked that I did not know their stories, as our histories have long denied women and especially women of color their spotlight and focus. Nor was I surprised that it was not until 2022 that they were formally rewarded for their valor, honor, service, and duty.

The Six Triple Eight was the only Black and Women of Color Battalion in the US Women’s Army Corps.

The women of Six Triple Eight experienced persistent racist and sexist treatment but that did not stop them from soaring to great heights.

The unit was under the leadership of Charity Adams, the first African American woman to become an officer in the Women’s Army Corps.

You are not only in the Army, you are women, and you are Negroes. And because you are Negroes and women,  you do not have the luxury to be as good as the white soldiers. You have the burden to be better. Remember you are not only representing America, you are representing the Negroes of America.

2024 Netflix’s Six Triple Eight Film.

 By the end of the war, Adams would become a Lt. Colonel and the highest ranking African American in the US military. Adams and her unit were given an enormous task, one that they were meant to fail. There was over a 2 year back log in mail.

 They were given a school to undertake the ordeal of mail, which was overrun with animals, did not have heat, and were under constant racist and sexist bombardment. They not only retrofit but updated their buildings, created systems of organizations but were able to clear the backlog but helped make their mark in history. In less than 90 days, the 6888^th cleared and delivered over 17 million pieces of mail. They were then sent to France to undertake the mail backlog there which they cleared. Sadly, once their unit returned Stateside after the end of WWII, they were disbanded and not recognized for their incredible work until 2016. Fort Lee in Virginia was renamed Fort Gregg-Adams in 2022 after Arthur Gregg(the first African American Lt. General) and Lt. Col Charity Adams. Becoming the first U.S. Military Base to be named after African Americans.

You can watch the 2024 film The Six Triple Eight on Netflix.

The importance of mail, communication, and family notification is something that Julie Moore became aware of during her life as the wife of a Lt. Colonel who was serving in the Vietnam War.

I was just introduced to Julie Moore this May from a CBS Morning Memorial Day Special.

Julie Moore was fundamental in changing military protocol and practice. It was through Julie Moore that families were given more dignity, respect, and care when being notified of their loved ones’ death.

During WWI and WWII, the military would send telegrams of injury, MIA, and death notifications to family members. During the Vietnam War, the telegrams often came via taxicab. Julie on one fateful day saw a taxicab pull up at her house and knock on her door. There were moments when Julie did not want to open the door to receive the news. It was in this experience that Julie knew what countless other families had to endure. (the taxi driver was lost and needed directions). The 2002 film We Were Soldiers portrays Julie comforting families.

Julie arranged for her local Western Union to call her if there was a military notification. Together with other wives on base, they petitioned the Army to change their protocols so that military officials would personally deliver the notifications and provide support and services.

Now there are entire systems and members that are part of the notification process including chaplains. Julie and her husband Hal were dedicated in both of their military services. In 2023, the Georgia military base Fort Benning was renamed Fort Moore to honor both Julie and Hal – both names were present becoming the first time a base was named after a civilian.

Sadly in 2025, President Trump has stripped the honor given to Julie and Hal by removing their name and once again naming it Fort Benning after the Confederate General Henry Benning.