,. ,. ,. There is nothing you can do about having a 20 or 22yearold body, but theres no excuse for not having a 5000 year old mind. Winston churchill. Its at your fingertips. But let us continue to look back so we can see forward. And im pleased to introduce to you, pat lock. Who will moderate the next panel. Pat was the first African American woman, to graduate from the United States naval kagame. 1980. She will bring forth, a group of women that have and unheard story, and Unsung Heroes that played an Important Role in American History and im pleased to introduce, pat lock. Well good morning everyone. Good morning. I know i have a lot of friends, at the naval academy. But im not the first African American woman to graduate from the naval can. Me from the im from the United States military kagame. I just want you have that as a admin correction. So with that i would like to say that i am honored to be in the presence of this history. I remember reading about these ladies, four years ago in the department of defense publication. And noticing everything that they went through, to open the doors for people like me. So with that, and we have limited time here, i want to make sure that i give them a chance to tell their story. So i would like to start out, with just a general question, and anyone that would like to respond, please do so. I would like to hear from everyone, but as you see fit you can answer the question. I would like to know, from that experience, and i think you all know the history, you have on the background here. But they went into, the six triple eight, central postal battalion. It was formed to handle a backlog of emails. Initially they had 800 African American women. And they were deployed to england. They had a surprise waiting for them when they got there. There were 70 million pieces of mail, that were back logged. So with that, with all of the deployment, and i remember reading the only way, that African American women, could serve overseas, was if the seat or commander, specifically requested them. So the six eight eight eight was one of the battalions, that were recruited to come over to europe. So with that, what was one aspect of your deployment, your effort your successes over there, that you would like to relay to the audience . I would like them to know how with the mail piled as high as it was, how hard it was to get it done, in the length of time they wanted to do us to do it. They gave us a year to get the back mail done, and we did in eight months. So, did you have anything to add to that . Yes, when we got there there were others piled up, it was rat infested. We had to find a place to make our postal facilities so that we can handle it. So used an old airplane hangar. And with that we had, we were seven days a week, three ships and we were able to get the mail out when one third of the time they had a scientists. So our motto was no mail no morale. That was our motto. And we felt bad the one saying that Service People want, is to be able to connect with their families. In the families, of course, wanted to see with their loved ones are doing. So it was a very Important Mission for us to be able to have that connection. Very good. So before we go on. I want to make sure that we get the comments from these ladies are here, also. But i want to make sure you know we are talking to. So on the far and is in this johnson. Thank you for your service. And next to me, is miss king. Thank you also for your service. And over here i have miss robertson, thank you for your service. And on the far left i have miss roddick, thank you all for your service. So that you know who youre talking to. I think you have the files on the back of the screen. So with that, did you have any comments about how much you had to do when you first arrived in england with the male challenge . Anything . Did anybody else have any more comments regarding that, before we go into the next question . I think not only was there not place for our mail, we had no facilities to live in. Our facilities had been bombed. And we had to quickly make a place for us to stay. And we used an old school house, we cleaned it up and made that do for our lodgings. Very good. So you kind of improvised with everything. Everything we had to improvise, yes. And from what ive read, the theater even came down, and he was very, very impressed with the level of discipline that you hide in the unit, your appearance, your military courtesy. How did all of that come about . How did you know to do that . Where you emulating someone else that you saw . That, seriously, that kind of opens the doors for the rest of us because you guys set a standard for all africanamerican women coming into the service, after that. So did you have comments running that . Youre in the army, you do what youre told, you wear what you wear. All right. When youre listed you do as you told, you wear whats the government of the day. And that was it. Thats not a problem, thats away from it. You have a uniform, you wear it. The point is that you have a job to do. And you do the job. Period. And, i dont know, one other questions you have . Because i could go on forever. [laughs] i just remember, i really appreciated when i saw the photos, i dont know anybody about the military, when i was listed i saw that in the photos everyone looked sharp with their uniform, and their shoes, and everything. Made me want to joint. Well, you know, when your uniform for a dress parade or any event, law youre working law. And we had a job to do, so you wear the fatigue or whatever is there. So the clothes were not the point, the point is to get the mail out. All right, very good. So your model was no mail, no morale . All right, very good. So what is one of the primary, the most important lesson that you can share with our audience, right now, about maybe leadership, about hardship, about work ethic it . Anything like that . Then you can share with our audience . Well you are enlisted to do a job, in whatever your assigned is with you did. This is why you are there. So you cant go on to doing whatever you like, you came there to do a duty, for the country. And of course you had to follow the rules. In this is what we signed up for. So you hide a very hard experience, you had to deploy to england but then you also had to deploy from england to france. And you had all of that happen in a very short amount of time. Can you tell me about the transition . How did you do that . And you had to hide a huge work ethic to get that done. Todays paul allnighters . You do what youre told. When we worked we had three shifts. We did when we were told. So, therefore, i did what i was told. Therefore, we sort of the bail, we directed it to where it had to go. And as i said, we worked in three ships. So what you do, you did best you can grows not question about it. In the army you dont question anything, you do as youre told. So that was not a big problem. This was something new to us, and we were pretty young. I was 19 when i went in. So that was it. And no problem. We did england, then we went to france, and then we went to paris. So we work the three shifts and we were able to get the mail redirected in a very short time. So we were able to do it in less than a year or so. To come back, and thats it. Okay. Can you talk to us a little bit about the leadership that you had . You obviously accomplished ally in a small amount of time, did leadership have anything to do with that . I think we all were dedicated and knew what we had to do we were told in the beginning that this is our john, so this was a way we had been trained. And we went there to do this jobs and we got it done. So i think when they chose the group and we went and got trained, we knew that there was discipline that kept us intact and made us know that this was an assignment. We knew this is what we signed up for. So i just had this work ethic that we had, and i think they chose women who they could rely on the work that way. Think that way. Very good. So you had both the army in the infantry in the same italian . At that time they were all one unit. Air force and army were together. Okay, very good. Later, i think, a number of years later they were separated. So can you speak of, how did you all get along . [laughs] did you guys get along okay . Did you sleep in open base, where did you have a little bedrooms, did you have desk friends, we dont hate it . Being in an army unit, with that amount of pressure to get things done, that the pressure cause friction or you just hide august friends, right . Not really. You do as youre told, period. [laughs] it doesnt matter how you feel or when you think, he got a job to do it and youre gonna do it. Okay. Very good. So we have a theme here, you got a job, you gotta get it done, no matter what. Thats right. All right. Perhaps its not like you could choose which group you wanted to hang out with. He was a large battalion, and you dont know everyone, but youre there for the same purpose. And your leadership helped to guide, but in the little groups you know what your assignment is, you disciplined, and you do it. Thats it. I think we went there with the attitude that we were there to do a job. And you are very, very successful with all of that pressure, and your big sisterhood in the battalion . Did you have a social life, at all . I, mean million pieces of mail, did you have any time to do anything else, go to the movies, or out on dates . You know, any social life whatsoever . Now. Not too much. I didnt hear the question. Okay. I just thought id ask, because you all had a lot to do. Well we made our own little fun. We played games, we had friendships. But as far as getting out of the public it was very late in the game to get out and meet people. Okay. When we were in birmingham, the people were so wonderful, they knew we were there for, they gave us a lot of support. So we enjoyed their hospitality. But when time came for work we did work and after our work was done we had time for a little socializing. That was quite limited. Very good. Is there any aspect of your job that was the hardest thing that you had to deal with . Say what . Was there an aspect of the job, a big mission, that was the hardest thing that you had to deal with . And what was that . [inaudible] you had a job to do, you did the job, period. [laughs] im sorry, but it doesnt matter. You made a commitment and you go through with it. And its all new, everybody. We had an army, we had a job to do, we had sergeants to tell us what to do. Im a private, so therefore you do it. If you have questions you better keep them silent, because that wont get you right. So therefore, the best thing to do, in this is all new to americans as such, so we did it and i think i can say is, after we finish the job, i handed the schedule that they thought had to be done. We did it i think in about six months or so. But we got it out, and then we came home. So thats it. And the army was good. Those of us who left, me, i came out of service. In the army gave us school, wherever we wanted to go. And a little subsistence bay, along with that. So i took advantage of it, and that was it, period. You know more worried about the army, period. Thats it. No more word. Okay. So they all want to tell us a little bit about what happened after your turin overseas, and uk macomb . Did you want to share with the audience, anything can happen after that . Well, i went directly home, because i lost my father. My father was in the military, my mom was on in the era, say so i got the starched when i went home. Do you have any . I went, was discharged, why married why i was in the service. Social life. Yeah. I went from philadelphia, where i enlisted, my husband was from california. I lived in california. And started a family. Went to school, and had a family, and that was the end of it. We never heard anything more about it, all of that what is behind us, until it gentlemen thought that we deserved to be recognized. And because we never had a parade i mean we just came out and went home, and that was it. So this man thought we deserved some recognition and he invited us at the 75, just a few of us who are still remaining, we are all in our nineties. Im 96. But anyway, he thought we deserved a parade. And he invited us all to come to kansas city. And he had a monument for us. He said, these ladies deserves some recognition. They were over there, and the first African American battalion, they were very well disciplined. They did a service. And he thought that he would give us a parade, which he did. Not only that, he had a monument for us. He had the country, really, we wouldnt be here today if it wasnt for this man. He made the world aware of us. And for that i really thank him, because we wouldve lived just really unknown. And carleton thought that these ladies deserved a parade. So we had the parade we never had before. We are here because of him. Okay, lets go. [laughs] go ahead. Did you want to comment on anything that happens after your left service, and came back to the United States . I beg your pardon . Did you want to comment on anything that happened after you left a service, and came back to the United States . Oh, i said before, i took advantage of the ge bill, and i went to the school that i wanted to go to. Uncle sam paid me my little substance of a dollar every month, and that was it. They were my mates that did other things, they sit in the service. And that was it. And none of them heard anymore about it until november, so there you go. Its a thing, we are making it known to the world, that there was a group there. And, of course, by the time we finished our process with the mail, the mail to the soldiers was already forward, so there was no back up there. So we got rid of the backup male, and the male was going on since then. In this is a little delayed it, unfortunately, when that up with only seven of us out of the hundreds that where they are to work the job. And im afraid that at our old age were not really capable of giving them full credit, as much as we should. Because the memory helps. But, however, here we are. And thats it. Thank you. Well, ladies, is there one other thing im looking to see if theres a time limit . If we could have, take a couple of questions from the audience . Im not seeing any rejections. Yes, sir . This question is from his partner, its great to see all of you. Just a second. Thank you. Good morning, hi. Good to see everyone, again. Miss parker, could you tell the audience in may of 2019, what happened at winston same all State University . I received my teachers degree. No, i received it before the end, but i got to march down the aisle, because i was not able to march when i finish my four years of college. I was teaching in virginia and my superintendent would not give me Broad Mission to leave, so i tough that out for 32 years. Got my degree, what summer. [applause] good morning, ladies, thank you very much for coming. I am from the naval academy, my question is, how did your families initially deal with you joining the army . What did she say . How did your family react to you joining the army . Actually, was what happened was i was 19 when i joined, and since i couldnt go to the school that i really wanted to go to, because my dad couldnt afford it, the opportunity came and he said why not to join the army . And that was something near. So i asked my father if i could join, and he said okay. So i was representing him in the service. And he sign me up to go into the army. So that was it. But i went into the army for one reason, and i guess i accomplish that, because after i came back, i did what i wanted to do. All right, thank you, very much. Do you have comments about how did your families react . Did they support to going into the army . My mother did. That my father was not a fan. He didnt think it was a good idea. There were all kinds of negative comments from various people about what was happening with the women in the service, and so forth. And it was because of ignorance, they didnt know. So, my mother had the, she went along with the program, where is my father sort of objected. He wondered how it fare, because i was a little girl. I was the only child. And that was very difficult for him to sign up for. Man did you have an experience . How did your parents support you going into the military . They were very supportive. At first, well they thought youre going to the military . Thats for a man. My dad said, thats a mans job so i, said well there are women in there, to. But it was not a stroke. All right, very good. Or any other questions . Thank you, ladies. Thank you. I have one here, and lady, can you hear me . You need to talk into the mic. We need the mic, because we are recording. Well, ladies, i want to thank you. But can you take a minute, having been involved in a congressional gold medal processes, can you please tell the audience what theyre trying to do for you to contact your senators and congressmen, give them the bill members to support your efforts for your congressional gold medal . Excuse me, one moment. Were gonna have someone else answer that question. I just wanted the information to get out there. Thank you. Hello, now im edna cummings, the bill numbers are s633 introduced by a senator from kansas. Thats where the 6888th monument is located. So he sponsored the bill on the senate side. On the house side, the bill number is hr3138. It was introduced by representatives or wisconsin, from where miss robertson is from. So s633, hr3138. As of today we have 15 cosponsors on the senate side. And 68 on the house side. We need two thirds from the senate and the house, which equates to 67 of the senate side, and 290 on the house side. So we have a way to go. So i would appreciate your supposed, and i would appreciate the questions. Sir, that answer your question about the congressional gold medal . It does, young lady. Okay. Thank you. And my name is elizabeth helmfrazier, and i am the other producer of the film. So we just wanted to thank you guys, thank you for your service, please come out and support this gold medal. But, on behalf of these amazing ladies, i call them superstars, on behalf of all of them going into present the mayor of this poster signed by all the women sitting there, and it is a documentary that was done, the one who answer the question the, firsttime and uses what it is simply called the 6888th law. Make sure you get that. Dont let me have to use my army voice, okay . So thank you maam, very much. Thank you. Well you want me to hold his . Thank you so much. [applause] im honored to be here, in your presence, it is because of women like you gee and your discipline in your work ethic, and you just get the job done, awful job and want to hear anything else into the job, done so because of that i have the same attitude when i come, in just get the job done. So thank you, very, much for your service.