Honestly, it’s a bit wild that most of us grew up never hearing the name Anna Mae Wilson Robertson.
She wasn't just some background figure in a history book. She was a powerhouse. For decades, her story—and the story of the women she served with—was basically buried under a mountain of red tape and indifference. We’re talking about a woman who survived Nazi U-boat threats and "buzz bombs" just to make sure a soldier halfway across the world got a letter from his mom.
Robertson passed away in May 2025 at the age of 101. She lived a long, quiet life in Milwaukee, raising eight kids and working as a nurse’s aide, all while carrying a legacy that eventually changed military history.
Who was Anna Mae Wilson Robertson?
Born in Sledge, Mississippi, in 1924 and raised in Arkansas, Robertson didn't exactly have an easy start. Her mother died when she was young, leaving her and her brother as orphans. Imagine being 19 years old, during the Great Depression and the height of Jim Crow, and deciding the best way to be "self-sufficient" is to join the Army.
That’s exactly what she did. In March 1943, she enlisted in the Women’s Army Corps (WAC).
She eventually became part of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, famously known as the "Six Triple Eight." This was the first and only all-Black, all-female battalion sent overseas during World War II. They weren't there to carry rifles, but their mission was arguably just as critical for winning the war: morale.
The "No Mail, Low Morale" Reality
By the time Robertson and her unit arrived in Birmingham, England, in early 1945, the military postal system was a disaster.
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There were 17 million pieces of undelivered mail.
Letters and care packages were stacked floor-to-ceiling in freezing, rat-infested airplane hangars. Windows were blacked out to prevent light from helping German bombers, so the women worked in the dark, damp cold. Some of those letters were addressed simply to "Junior, U.S. Army" or "Bob Smith"—and there were over 7,000 Robert Smiths in the European Theater.
The Army gave them six months to fix it.
Anna Mae Wilson Robertson and her sisters-in-arms did it in three.
They worked three shifts a day, 24/7. They processed 65,000 pieces of mail per shift. It was grueling, repetitive, and technically sophisticated work. They had to maintain a tracking system for seven million people. When they finished in England, they were sent to France to do it all over again.
The "Dual Segregation" Struggle
It’s kind of easy to romanticize war stories, but Robertson’s reality was complicated by the very country she was serving.
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In England, these women couldn't eat, sleep, or shower with other female personnel. They were Black in a segregated military. They had to run their own mess halls and motor pools because no one else would provide those services for them.
Robertson once mentioned in an interview that she was "used to" the segregation because of her upbringing in the South. Think about that for a second. The fact that she found military-sanctioned racism "normal" says everything about the era she lived through.
Life After the War: A Quiet Warrior
When the war ended in 1945, there was no parade. No Congressional Gold Medal (not yet, anyway). The unit was disbanded at Fort Dix without much fanfare.
Robertson moved to Milwaukee in 1946. She stayed there after attending a friend's wedding and basically never left. She married John D. Robertson, had eight children, and spent her career at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center.
But she didn't just sit still.
In the 1960s, she took her kids to open housing marches led by Father James Groppi. She was fighting for civil rights in Milwaukee just as hard as she’d fought for efficiency in Birmingham. Her daughter, Sheree, often calls her a "quiet warrior." She wasn't one to brag. In fact, many people in her life didn't even know the extent of her service until much later.
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Why We’re Finally Talking About Her Now
Recognition took forever.
It wasn't until 2014—nearly 70 years after the war—that Robertson finally received her service medals in a ceremony. Then came the monument at Fort Leavenworth in 2018.
The big one happened in 2022. President Biden signed the legislation to award the 6888th the Congressional Gold Medal. Robertson was one of the very few surviving members left to see it.
And then, of course, there’s the pop culture wave. Tyler Perry’s Netflix film The Six Triple Eight, starring Kerry Washington, finally put a spotlight on what these women accomplished. It took a century, but the world finally caught up to what Anna Mae Wilson Robertson already knew: they were essential.
How to Honor Her Legacy Today
If you’re looking for a way to actually apply the lessons from Robertson’s life, it’s not just about reading history. It’s about the "how."
- Prioritize the "Invisible" Tasks: Robertson’s work was administrative, but it kept the front lines from collapsing emotionally. In your own work or community, look at the logistics that no one notices but everyone relies on.
- Resilience Over Recognition: She didn't get her "flowers" until she was nearly 100. She did the work anyway. If you're doing something important that isn't being noticed, remember that the value is in the task, not the applause.
- Support Women Veterans: Organizations like the Women in Military Service for America Memorial or local VA centers (where Robertson worked for years) always need support.
Anna Mae Wilson Robertson lived to be 101. She saw the world change from horse-and-buggy Arkansas to the digital age. She was a pioneer who didn't ask for permission to be one. She just showed up, sorted the mail, and changed the Army forever.
Next steps to take: Research the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion monument at Fort Leavenworth or watch the documentaries featuring Robertson's first-hand accounts to hear the story in her own words.