Romay Davis, a Montgomery woman who was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2021 as a member of an all-black female battalion that served overseas during World War II, has died.
Davis, who was the oldest living member of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion — known as the ‘Six Triple Eight’ was 104.
She died Friday in Montgomery, according to her obituary posted by Ross-Clayton Funeral Home.
“Romay was a beacon of inspiration throughout her vibrant and multifaceted life,” her obituary read.
In 2022, the City of Montgomery honored Davis after President Biden signed a bill authorizing the awarding of the Congressional Gold Medal for the unit, which is the subject of the Tyler Perry film “The Six Triple Eight” starring Kerry Washington and set to release later this year on Netflix.
“My family and I are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Mrs. Davis,” said Montgomery Mayor Steven L. Reed. “As one of Montgomery’s most decorated veterans, she exemplified dedication and service throughout her life. Whether through her military honors or her contributions at Winn-Dixie, she consistently showed an unwavering commitment to her family, friends, and community. Her extraordinary life and kindness will always be remembered.”
Davis received a standing ovation and some in the crowd had tears in their eyes when she was given the medal citation and a wartime uniform to replace hers, which was stolen out of a car soon after she returned stateside, the Associated Press reported at the time.
“I never thought anything like this would happen to me,” she said.
Then 102, Davis told the AP that the honor also belonged to others in her unit who were not alive to receive the recognition.
“I think it’s an exciting event, and it’s something for families to remember,” she said. “It isn’t mine, just mine. No. It’s everybody’s.”
Davis served in the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion at a time when Black women in the military were separated by both gender and race. Nicknamed “Six Triple Eight,” Davis and her unit were part of the largest African-American Women’s Army Corps unit to serve overseas during World War II.
Last year, Davis was honored at Alabama Media Group’s Women Who Shape The State event.
Col. Eries L. G. Mentzer, former commander of Maxwell Air Force Base and the first Black woman to hold the role, gave a keynote speech that honored Davis and two other women who also worked at Maxwell — Rosa Parks and Sharron Frontiero — who blazed trails that allowed greater equality for women in the armed forces and beyond.
“On my toughest days in command at Maxwell — and there were some tough days — I would say ‘If Miss Romay can do it in far less favorable conditions than what I have, I can too,’” Mentzer said. “I’m here today because of you, because you paid my freedom to serve.”
Davis, a native of Virginia, enlisted in 1943, following her five brothers.
Her unit, comprised of more than 800 Black women, set sail for Europe in February 1945.
When they arrived in England, they were faced with a six-month backlog of mail due to a shortage of soldiers at a time when mail played a crucial role in morale.
“They relied on the mail for people on the frontlines, to know why they were serving, and for the people back home to know that those members that were serving on behalf of their freedom were still with us,” said Mentzer, who gave the keynote speech for the event. “They relied on a piece of mail.”
Davis and the women in her unit worked 24/7 and processed an average of 195,000 pieces of mail per day, clearing the backlog in just three months. In June, the unit moved to Rouen, France, where they served until the last members returned in Feb. 1946.
“They had to work sometimes in very poor conditions, sometimes in the dark so the enemy didn’t know when they were asked, but they still showed up and they did their duty,” Mentzer said, adding that the unit also faced racism and sexism.
After serving in the Army, Davis had a career in fashion for 30 years, earned a black belt in her late 70s and later worked at Winn-Dixie in Montgomery for more than 20 years. At age 100, she was still working five days per week.
