LAFAYETTE, La. — During World War II, there was a shortage of soldiers capable of handling and delivering crucial mail to those fighting overseas. In response, 855 women stepped up to help in the war effort. KATC had the chance to speak to a relative of one of these influential women, who was born here in the Hub City.
"Major Fannie McClendon is my aunt, someone I look up to," Dianne Mouton-Allen said.
KATC sat down with Mouton-Allen at Black Cafe to discuss her aunt's impact during a pivotal time in history.
"It's a story of women who committed their lives to a certain task: being in the military and doing a great job," she said.
That task was being part of the Central Postal Directory Battalion, also known as the 6888th. This all-female unit was given the crucial job of addressing several years of mail backlog at a time when receiving mail was essential.
In an archived video, Major McClendon spoke fondly of their work: "The girls got a kick out of working the mail."
Thanks to the 6888th, they were able to sort through 17 million pieces of mail.
Now, McClendon's story, along with others from the 6888th, is being told in a Netflix movie directed by Tyler Perry, titled "The Six Triple Eight."
KATC asked Mouton-Allen what people can learn from the movie. She said, "Perseverance and the realization that sometimes things seem insurmountable. You don’t know until you try, so give it your best effort. I have accomplished a lot of things I didn’t think I could simply because I gave it my best."
We also asked if Major McClendon was an inspiration to Mouton-Allen while she was growing up.
"Absolutely," she said "Because just having her visit and hearing the places that she visited opened up possibilities in my mind. I wasn’t confined to what I was seeing around me."
The movie is now available on Netflix, and an event honoring Major McClendon, featuring a free screening of the movie, was held at the Downtown Convention Center on Wednesday evening.
