Bernice A Augustine (1915 - 2010)

Born 15 Aug 1915 in Manhattan, New York County, New York, United States

Died 20 Feb 2010 at age 94 in Brooklyn, Kings, New York, United States

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Bernice Augustine is a part of US Black heritage.

CPL Bernice Augustine served in the United States Army in World War II
Service started: 18 Jan 1943
Unit(s): 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, United States Women's Army Corps
Service ended: after 1945

Biography

Bernice A Augustine was born in 1915 in Manhattan, New York County, New York, United States. She was the third of Bernard Augustine and Mary Gachette's four children.^[1][2][3]. Bernice completed high school and she worked as a clerk in an office.^[4].

The 6888th Central Postal Battalion

With the entrance of the United States into World War II, Bernice volunteered for the Women's Army Corps on 18 January 1943.^[5]. She was assigned to the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion.^[6]

The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion of the Women's Army Corps was a multi-ethnic group. Although composed primarily of African-American women, its ranks also included Puerto Rican and Hispanic women. They came from 26 locations across the United States. LTC Charity Adams was the first of three commanding officers to lead the group. Following training at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, the battalion left on 3 February 1945 for assignment in Birmingham, England.^[7]

In Birmingham, the battalion was assigned to sort a backlog of mail stored in an unheated warehouse. The women worked at the task 24 hours a day. Divided into three, eight hour shifts, they routed an average of 65,000 pieces of mail per shift. At the end of 90 days they had sorted and redirected over 17 million letters and packages.^[8]. With the issue in Birmingham resolved, the battalion moved next to Rouen, France where another backlog of mail awaited. When they completed this task, the battalion moved to Paris. World War II ended in Europe on 2 September 1945. In February 1946, the battalion returned to the United States where it was disbanded at Fort Dix, New Jersey.^[9]

Return to Civilian Life

Following discharge from Fort Dix in New Jersey, Bernice returned to New York City. She settled back into the Brooklyn neighborhood with her mother and brother Kermit.^[10][11]

Bernice A Augustine passed away on 23 February 2010 in Brooklyn, New York. She was laid to rest in the Tranquility Garden area of Green-Wood Cemetery also located in Brooklyn, New York.^[12]

Sources

1. ↑ "New York State Census, 1925," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KS7W-5QX : 8 November 2014), Bernice Augustine, New York, A.D. 22, E.D. 46, New York, New York, United States; records extracted by Ancestry and images digitized by FamilySearch; citing p. 39, line 31, New York State Archives, Albany.
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X7DD-6R6 : accessed 12 March 2023), Bernice Augustine in household of Bernard Augustine, Bronx (Districts 1-250), Bronx, New York, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 157, sheet 14A, line 4, family 313, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1468; FHL microfilm 2,341,203.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KQLY-S38 : 15 February 2020), Bernice Augustine in household of Mary Augustine, Assembly District 17, Brooklyn, New York City, Kings, New York, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 24-1977A, sheet 6A, line 11, family 139, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 2598.
4. ↑ ""United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8LS-3KG : 5 December 2014), Bernice A Augustine, enlisted 18 Jan 1943, New York City, New York, United States; citing "Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946," database, The National Archives: Access to Archival Databases (AAD) (http://aad.archives.gov : National Archives and Records Administration, 2002); NARA NAID 1263923, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.
5. ↑ ""United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8LS-3KG : 5 December 2014), Bernice A Augustine, enlisted 18 Jan 1943, New York City, New York, United States; citing "Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946," database, The National Archives: Access to Archival Databases (AAD) (http://aad.archives.gov : National Archives and Records Administration, 2002); NARA NAID 1263923, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.
6. ↑ https://www.womenofthe6888th.org/list-of-6888th-veterans
7. ↑ https://www.womenofthe6888th.org/6888th-facts
8. ↑ https://www.womenofthe6888th.org/6888th-facts
9. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6888th_Central_Postal_Directory_Battalion
10. ↑ "United States 1950 Census", database, FamilySearch (ark:/61903/1:1:6XY7-FRL2 : Sun Jan 29 10:09:17 UTC 2023), Entry for Mary Augustine and Kermet Augustine, 10 April 1950.
11. ↑ "United States Public Records, 1970-2009", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KV1V-4BS : 12 November 2019), B Augustine, 2001-2009.
12. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/134805393/bernice-a-augustine: accessed 11 March 2023), memorial page for Bernice A. Augustine (15 Aug 1915–23 Feb 2010), Find a Grave Memorial ID 134805393, citing Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, Kings County (Brooklyn), New York, USA; Maintained by Marsha Holder (contributor 47391678).

Further Sources on the 6888th Batallion

https://history.army.mil/html/topics/afam/6888thPBn/index.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6888th_Central_Postal_Directory_Battalion

https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/6888th.htm

https://www.nps.gov/mamc/the-6888th-central-postal-directory-battalion.htm

https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/the-sixtripleeight-6888th-battalion

https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/Explore/Notable-Graves/African-Americans/6888th-Central-Postal-Directory-Battalion

https://guides.loc.gov/6888th-central-postal-directory-battalion