NEWS

As the movie “The 6888” is available for streaming on Netflix, there are local North Carolina ties to the WWII battalion.

I’m borrowing a line from a friend’s social media post: “How old were you when you learned about the 6888?”

I replied “Sadly, I was in my 50s.” That’s saying a lot since I spent the majority of my adult life in the military, as well as my childhood in a military family.

I hope that one or two News of Davidson readers will be able to answer that they learned about the 6888 right here in the News of Davidson. Still others have learned about the WWII military battalion through the recently released Tyler Perry moving starring Kerry Washington.

In early 2019, the Salisbury VA shared a post via social media. A female WWII Veteran had passed away, and with no known living relatives, they invited fellow Veterans to her memorial service at the Salisbury VA National Cemetery. That simple invite was enough for me to make sure I made the time to attend. That simple invite is how I learned about the 6888.

On the morning of March 22, 2019, I put on my Service Dress Blue uniform and grabbed a camera or two to head to Salisbury. Accompanied by my sister, I had no idea how many other people would join us in being there to pay our respects.

Former PFC Barker Johnson received MSG Dupre’s flag.

While I often get my medical care in one of the red brick buildings on the VA campus, I admit that I had taken the time to drive through the adjacent cemetery only once or twice. We got there in plenty of time, and it soon became apparent that the word had, indeed, gotten out. I think it is safe to say that more than 100 people were in attendance. I now wonder just how many of them knew about the 6888 before that day.

We were there to honor the life well lived of Master Sergeant Bertha Dupre. I learned a little bit about her at the service and still more in doing some additional research on my own.

Photo and video album from MSG Dupre’s service at the Salisbury VA Cemetery

The 6888 Central Postal Delivery Battalion was composed of all African American women. Not only did they serve during World War II, but they were deployed overseas. In the days of a segregated military, they saw some of the worst racism and sexism that existed in the ranks. But it didn’t stop them. They were given a seemingly insurmountable task, and they accomplished it. Now, back to MSG Dupre’s funeral.

Two young Navy Sailors asked to have their photo taken with Mrs. Barker Johnson.

As is military tradition, after being precisely folded by the honor guard, a flag would be presented to a relative. Without any known related family members, the flag was presented to a member of her military family, Mrs. Elizabeth Barker Johnson, a fellow member of the 6888, who was seated on the front row. Her daughter, Cynthia Scott, was at her side. Former Private First Class (PFC) Barker was a truck driver in the 6888, and she and MSG Dupre served in Company C.

As much as people were at the service to honor MSG Dupre, many wanted to meet former PFC Barker Johnson. At 98, she was using a walker, but she graciously accepted myriad requests for photos and even an autograph or two. A favorite photo is one of several young service women of color who asked for a picture with Mrs. Barker Johnson.

Before leaving, I exchanged contact information with her daughter. I subsequently shared the link to the photo and video album from the service.

Months later, Cynthia Scott invited me to attend Mrs. Johnson’s 99^th birthday party. The surprise event was held at her independent living facility in Hickory. I didn’t want to go empty-handed, so I asked a friend to sign off on a proclamation that I had drafted. The friend, Army Major General Tammy Smith, graciously agreed and sent the signed copy on her letterhead. I framed it and took it with me.

I wasn’t the only visitor at the party. After I was kindly given the opportunity to present the framed proclamation to Mrs. Johnson, a representative from Winston Salem State University made a special presentation. It turns out that the administration at WSSU had learned that Mrs. Johnson had been unable to attend her own graduation from then Winston Salem State Teachers’ College because she had already gone to work as a teacher. They presented her with her cap and gown and invited the 99-year-old alumna to the 2019 commencement, which would take place just days later. Photo and video album from the surprise party

On May 10, there I was – attending Winston Salem State University’s Commencement. As the arena floor filled with soon-to-be graduates, I watched as Mrs. Barker Johnson took her seat on the dais with the Chancellor, keynote speaker, and other distinguished guests. And when the Chancellor started telling the story of the special alumna in attendance, the crowd grew relatively quiet as people listened intently.

Mrs. Barker Johnson, Winston State Teachers College Class on 1949, received her diploma at the 2019 Winston Salem State University commencement ceremony.

And before he finished, the standing ovation began. In the midst of the literal pomp and circumstance of the graduation for the mostly 20-something year olds, Mrs. Elizabeth Barker Johnson got them all and their family and friends in attendance to stand in her honor. Photo and video album from the WSSU Commencement

Just before COVID caused shutdowns and cancellations of public events, I made a trip to Raleigh to attend African American Lineage Day Black History Program in Raleigh. Held at the North Carolina Museum of History, the ceremony honored the Montford Point Marines, retired Air Force Colonel and civil rights leader Joseph Holt Jr., and Mrs. Elizabeth Barker Johnson.

She was the oldest Veteran in the room, and one of several recipients of the Order of the Long Leaf Pine. Hosted by the North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, the keynote speaker was Army 4-star general Xavier Garrett. The general was the Commanding General of U.S. Army Forces Command at Fort Liberty (then Fort Bragg).

My favorite photo at the ceremony, posed family photos notwithstanding, is one of her looking at General Garrett. While I didn’t ask her what she was thinking at the time, I think the look on her face is worth more than a thousand words. Photos and video album

PFC Barker Johnson standing with General Xavier Garrett after she received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine.

By the time Mrs. Barker Johnson’s birthday came around, things were shut down. Her daughter desperately wanted to celebrate the big event, but to do it safely. As a result, Mrs. Barker Johnson had a “drive-by” birthday party. And it was only appropriate that people turned out. The Mayor of Hickory was there, and he proclaimed it Mrs. Elizabeth Bernice Barker Johnson Day in Hickory. There were friends and family, there were police vehicles, and fire trucks (plural), and even an ambulance or two. Mayor Guess also read the “Living Legend” proclamation from the Women in Military Service to America (now Women’s Memorial). The Chancellor of WSSU was also there, and he too read a proclamation honoring Mrs. Barker Johnson. I reached out to General Garrett’s staff and asked if he would sign one of those photos for Mrs. Barker Johnson. He did, and I was able to present it to her at the end of the parade. Birthday photo and video album

Mrs. Johnson passed away on August 23, 2020, slightly more than three months after she celebrated her 100^th birthday. With COVID precautions still in place, people sat socially-distanced in her church and there was a smaller gathering at the cemetery. Photo and video album

It was an honor to meet and get to know Mrs. Elizabeth Barker Johnson and members of her family over the period of several years. I stay in touch with her daughter, who was actively involved in many of the ceremonies leading up to the premiere of the movie.

Her drive by 100th birthday party.

So, if you want to know more about the 6888 and what they did during WWII, chalk all of this up to a long and very detailed personal recommendation to watch Six Triple Eight on Netflix. You won’t be disappointed, and you’ll learn a lot about this group of amazing African American women. And be sure to watch the film all the way to the end. Producers included still photos of several then-living members of the 6888. Mrs. Elizabeth Barker Johnson is featured in an individual photo, as well as the group photo of the five 6888 Veterans who were able to attend the dedication of a monument at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas in 2018. (She is the second from the left.)

Mrs. Barker Johnson’s family following her funeral service.