From the 6888th to the Classroom: Ms. Theresa Bell’s Legacy of Resilience and Dedication

How a WWII Heroine Shaped Lives in a Small Louisiana Town While Carrying the Spirit of the 6888th Battalion

Ms. Theresa Bell was a member of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. This was World War II’s only Women's Army Corps unit predominantly of color to be sent overseas, and their story is a testament to the resilience and dedication of these women during a time of discrimination and global conflict.

The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion uniquely contributed to the war effort by sorting a three-year backlog of 17 million undelivered mail for American soldiers stationed overseas. In the face of discrimination and a vast, unfamiliar country divided by global conflict, these 855 women brought hope to the front lines.

Theresa Bell in uniform

In the small bayou town of Maringouin, Louisiana, I was fortunate to be in Theresa's second-grade class after she returned home to teach. I remember well her military-influenced discipline. I didn't know what that was or what it meant then, but I sure get it now.

I liked her clear, no-nonsense way, similar to my father's. We all respected her. The school, Upper Maringouin Elementary, was a four-room school with the barest of resources. Used textbooks, scratch paper tablets, and #2 pencils. In a room of seats in rows, with a blackboard with chalk and erasers. In a room with windows and doors that stayed open in summer because there were no cooling systems, and in winter, we had coal-burning heaters in the classrooms and outdoor toilets. Despite that, Ms. Bell dressed impeccably every day. She was tall, slim, and stood erect. She wore well-fitted dresses, high heel-shiny pumps and stockings, shiny, well-groomed hair, a lightly powdered face with dark maroon lipstick, and she looked fresh as a daisy all day regardless of the temperature.

After watching the recently released film Six Triple Eight, which focuses on the story of 6888th during World War II, I now understand what prepared her to withstand those less-than-ideal conditions and dedicate herself to preparing us for excellence and resilience through kind discipline.

She would walk in, and no matter how chaotic and disruptive the students were, when she walked into the classroom, she could simply say, "Sit down and shut up," and the room came to order. She always spoke simply and respectfully. I recall an instance when she asked me why I hadn't completed my homework. I told her I had lost my pencil (which was true), and she said, "Don't ever let that be an excuse again." Trust me, I never did.

Theresa Bell’s son

Her house was two doors down from ours. She had two sons, but only one lived with her. The other son was now an adult. Her son, Reginald, who lived with her, was my age, seven years old, and he grew up with my six siblings as part of our family. We called him "Butch".

People in Baton Rouge and the surrounding area know him as a popular law enforcement officer who reached the rank of major and became a long-serving City Constable who served 18 years before his retirement. No doubt his mother's influence shows through there, too.

I have always been proud to have had Ms. Bell as my teacher. Her unique and dedicated military service, which significantly raised our soldiers' morale, fills me with even more pride. She never bragged about her military service, so I never knew her story until a few years before this movie came out. She is my hero!