Diksha Sundriyal
Netflix’s historical war drama film, ‘The Six Triple Eight,’ follows the story of the eponymous battalion that took over the humungous task of clearing the backlog of millions of mail during the Second World War. While the story focuses on the struggles and success of the real-life battalion, particular focus is given to the story of Lena Derriecott King, whose personal journey takes the spotlight and gives the film emotional gravity. It is driven by Ebony Obsidian’s compelling portrayal of Lena, who becomes the heart and soul of a story that inspires the audience by bringing the highly ignored part of the war’s history to light.
Lena Derriecott Joined the Army Following a Personal Tragedy
Born in Washington, Georgia, on January 27, 1923, Lena Derriecott’s childhood was spent in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she lived with her mother and aunt. A student of Germantown High School, she had always been interested in the world around her. Lena followed the rise of Hitler’s rule and the subsequent series of events that led to the Second World War. When her close friend, Abram David, went to war and passed away on his first combat mission, Lena decided to join the Army. At the time, she was working in a local hospital. She had already shown her drive to fight for what’s right through the several causes she supported in her city. She was a part of the National Youth Administration and protested against segregation.
Lena was 18 years old when she enlisted in the Army. Completing her basic training at Fort Des Moines, Iowa, she started active duty on December 15, 1943. Her first assignment took her to serve at the base hospital in Douglas Army Airfield near Bisbee, Arizona. Apart from taking care of the patients, she also worked on the flight line and took part in the weekly drill, among other things. There, Lena also took an aptitude test but failed it because she was under the weather at the time. After serving at the airfield for about a year, she was sent for overseas duty after she had passed the screening process by going through rigorous training and tests.
Lena Derriecott and the 6888’s Work Boosted the Morale of the Army
Lena arrived in Birmingham, England, on February 14, 1945, as a part of the 6888th Central Postal Battalion. The work there was highly demanding, with more than 17 million pieces of mail required to be processed within six months. She, along with the rest of the battalion, worked 24×7 in harsh weather with little to no amenities and ended up finishing the job in three months. Despite the difficulties she experienced there, Lena knew how important it was for the mail to reach the intended people, as it was necessary to boost the morale of the men on the frontlines, who had been out of touch with their families for months.
The 6888’s work in Birmingham ended shortly before the Allies declared victory when the enemy decided to surrender for good. Still, it would be a while before everyone got to go back home. The 6888 was called to continue their work in Rouen, France, where they set up in a French monastery to clear up the mail backlog. Apart from her general duties, Lena also worked in the poster unit and honed her talent for drawing and art. Once the battalion’s work in France was over, Lena decided to use the opportunity presented by the US military, where they offered college-credit courses to their soldiers. Through winning a place in an education lottery, she found herself in a design school in Leicester, England, where she remained for a couple more years until eventually returning to the US in 1948.
Lena Derriecott Lived a Full Life
Lena Derriecott passed away on January 18, 2024, at the age of 100, in Las Vegas, Nevada. She was married to Hugh Thadius Bell, whom she had met during her time in the army and with whom she had two children. Following her return from the war, she worked as a nurse in LA. When she retired, she moved to Las Vegas, where she remained till the end of her days. She was a regular church-goer and loved to cook, apart from spending time with her family.
The recipient of the US Congressional Gold Medal, Lena spoke out about the role she and the 6888 played during the war, which remained largely forgotten in the immediate aftermath of the war. In her later years, however, she and her battalion received the recognition they deserved. In the 2019 American Valor Awards, they received the Audie Murphy award. Lena was also awarded an Honor Roll at the World War II National Museum in New Orleans. Over the years, Lena spoke with several news and media outlets and appeared on several panels to talk about the work she and her fellow soldiers did in the 6888. Despite the difficulties they faced back then, Lena recalled the time as an enriching experience that taught her a lot about life and people.
Lena met with Tyler Perry when the writer-director was tapped to make a movie about the 6888. After having an in-depth conversation with her about her experiences in the war, Perry was convinced that the story should have Lena as the protagonist. He showed her an early cut of the film shortly before she passed away and was happy to learn that she liked the way the film portrays her story. She even thanked Perry for bringing the 6888’s account to the whole world so everyone could know their stories and appreciate their work. She also met with Ebony Obsidian, who plays her in the movie and was very happy with the casting.
Read More: Are Johnnie Mae Burton, Dolores Washington and Elaine White Based on Real 6888 Soliders?
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