Historic First Baptist Celebrates Posthumously An Unsung Heroic 102-Year-Old 6888 Veteran

By Rev. Dee Edwards
Special to the New Journal and Guide

At 9:45 a.m., on Sunday March 29, 2026, members and visitors streamed into the sanctuary of Historic First Baptist Church Bute Street in Norfolk, Va. They were coming to worship the Lord on Palm Sunday. Very few people were aware that this day would also be a day of iconic revelation regarding a woman we had known for many years, but whose military legacy was obscure and unsung.

For the family, it was an exceptionally humbling and gratifying day to share the recent stunning discovery only after the death of their deceased loved one, Mrs. Elizabeth C. Moore Barnes. Mrs. Barnes died on December 17, 2025, at the age of one hundred and two. Her daughter Stacey Barnes Brown, grandson, Rev. Travis Barnes, granddaughter, Breona Barnes, granddaughter-in-love, Ashley Barnes, nor great-grands, Madisyn and Mayson ever heard that Corporal Barnes (then Cpl. Moore) had served in the United States Army from 1944 -1946 during WWII. She never told any of her living family members.

If you are wondering why, Mrs. Barnes never shared this with anyone, join the crowd. We can only speculate. We are told by her family that Mrs. Barnes even watched the Tyler Perry movie, “Six Triple Eight” in 2024 along with her family. It obviously was her desire to avoid sharing the details of an unforgettable life experience; knowing it would be discovered after her death. Her Army honorable discharge papers were discovered by her granddaughter, Breona.

It was even more incredible to find later that she served with the now, eminent (“Six Triple Eight”) 6888 Central Postal Directory Battalion. This was the only all-Black, all-female unit deployed overseas during World War II. It is recorded that the 855 women of this unit operated in Birmingham, England, Rouen, France, and Paris France. They were tasked with sorting a massive 17,000,000 pieces of mail backlogs to boost troop morale in six months … they did it in three! Under the leadership of Major Charity Adams (later, Lieutenant Colonel Charity Adams Earley) the unit faced racism and gender discrimination, but they all continued to serve and serve well, marching to the cadence of “no mail, low morale.”

In honoring this great veteran, Senior Pastor Jerry L. Holmes asked Pastor Evelyn Lee to organize the beautiful program presented on that Sunday to surprise her family with meaningful and heartfelt keepsakes and providing the congregation, the privilege of sharing in their joy.

Rev. Dr. James Edwards, III (Retired Airborne Infantry Captain) presented the American flag to Corporal Barnes’ daughter, Stacy Barnes Brown, Rev. Gary McCollum (Retired Airborne Ranger Major) presented a framed Meritorious Unit Citation to the family. Ms. Clara Janette Hill-Potter (Retired Major) presented Corporal Elizabeth C. Moore Barnes’ family with the military ribbons she so proudly earned in service to her country. Pastor Holmes referred to her as a “hidden gem.”

We all stood for a final ovation to our long-time First Baptist Church member, leader and dedicated woman servant of God, and Norfolk Public Schools loving teacher that we knew; and to the overwhelming joy for a life, we just found out about, so totally well lived.