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The SixTripleEight: “No Mail, Low Morale”

Women were recruited and trained until May 1942. The Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps was formed, and women of all races were officially allowed to serve. In July of that same year, women were given full benefits in the military, and the word “auxiliary” was removed from their name. The Corps then became known as the Women’s Army Corps (WACs).

Published

1 year ago

January 30, 2025

Oakland Post

Public Domain.

By Tamara Shiloh

Many historical accounts of wars do not include women. The word “soldier” often brings to mind a man in uniform. Yet by definition it refers to anyone, including women, serving in the military.

American women were allowed to serve in the army during World War I (1914–1918). Many were nurses and staff who cooked for, and catered to, injured soldiers. Because slavery and racism prevented Black women from giving their services to America, many of these women were White.

Although the military trained women of all races in all divisions and sections of the army in preparation for war, division among the races remained. Black women were encouraged to become WACs. In other divisions, such as the Navy, Black women were excluded almost entirely. The Army Nurse Corps only allowed 500 Black nurses to serve despite thousands who applied.

But the tables were turned in 1945 when the world’s first all-Black female battalion was sent from the United States to serve in parts of Europe during World War II (1939–1945).

Known as the 6888 Central Postal Directory Battalion, or “the SixTripleEight,” the battalion served in parts of France and England to clear the backlog of mail in the European Theater of Operations. The battalion boasted 855 Black women, both enlisted and officers, and was led by Major Charity Adams Earley. It was the only all-Black, all-female battalion overseas throughout the war.

Many of the women serving were handpicked by civil rights activist and educator Mary McLeod Bethune.

Confronted with racism and sexism from their own leadership and troops, the battalion served with honor and distinction completing their mission in six months. By war’s end, the SixTripleEight had cleared over 17 million pieces of backlogged mail ensuring the troops stayed in touch with their loved ones back home.

Although the SixTripleEight had a motto, “No mail, low morale,” they accomplished more than distributing letters and packages. As the largest contingent of Black women to ever serve overseas, they dispelled stereotypes and represented a change in racial and gender roles in the military.

Between 1945 and 1946, the majority of the women worked under the mail service. Others served as cooks, mechanics, nurse assistants and in other roles when necessary. Working conditions were dangerous and risky, as the women were placed in abandoned and infested aircraft and offices throughout the war.

Women of the SixTripleEight were later honored with the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal while they were still in service.

The last of the battalion returned home in March 1946.

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Oakland Post: Week of March 4 – 10, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 4 – 10, 2026

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Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

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2 weeks ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.