African-American women's battalion honored

African-American women's battalion from WWII honored - CNN.com

The honors were late but still well-received Wednesday for members of the first all-African-American, all-female unit to serve overseas in World War II.

During the war, nearly 1,000 women from the "Six-Triple Eight" Central Postal Battalion moved mountains of mail for millions of American service members and civilians that clogged warehouses in England and France.

Their service to their country had been overlooked for years, starting with when they returned to the United States from assignments overseas.

"There was no parade," said Mary Crawford Ragland. "We just came home."

The 82-year old was among those gathered Wednesday at the Women's Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, where a U.S. Army support group called the Freedom Team Salute presented them with certificates of appreciation, timed with Black History Month.