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Edith Jane (Armistead) Tyrrell (1921 - 2012)

PVT Edith Jane Tyrrell formerly Armistead
Born in New York City, New York, United Statesmap
Daughter of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]
[sibling(s) unknown]
[spouse(s) unknown]
[children unknown]
Died at age 90 in New York, United Statesmap
Problems/Questions Profile manager: Judith Brandau private message [send private message]
Profile last modified | Created 11 Mar 2023
This page has been accessed 23 times.
US Black Heritage Project
Edith (Armistead) Tyrrell is a part of US Black heritage.
PVT Edith (Armistead) Tyrrell served in the United States Army in World War II
Service started: 22 Jan 1943
Unit(s): 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, United States Women's Army Corps
Service ended: after 1945

Contents

Biography

Edith Jane Armistead was born on 20 October 1921 in New York City, New York, United States. She was the daughter of Charles Armistead and Elvira (Unknown) Armistead.[1]. She spent her formative years living in the city.[2][3]

The 6888th Central Postal Battalion

With the entrance of the United States into World War II, Davetter volunteered for the Women's Army Corps on 22 January 1943.[4]. She was assigned to the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion.[5]

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.[6]

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.[7]. 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.[8]

Return to Civilian Life

The war in Europe over, Edith's services were no longer needed. She departed for New York aboard the ship "Queen Mary" in 1945. Her military discharge occurred at Fort Dix in New Jersey.[9]

Edith married Dennis Tyrrell. The couple settled in Queens, New York and started a family. Two children are known to have been born of this union: Florence Tyrrell and Dennis Tyrrell.[10] In later years Edith moved out of New York City to Springfield, Otsego, New York.[11]

Edith Jane Armistead Tyrrell passed awway on 4 September 2012. She was laid to rest with military honors at Calverton National Cemetery located in Calverton, Suffolk County, New York.[12]

Sources

  1. "New York State Census, 1925," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KS9Q-8RV : 8 November 2014), Edith Armistead, New York, A.D. 07, E.D. 11, Bronx, New York, United States; records extracted by Ancestry and images digitized by FamilySearch; citing p. 11, line 37, New York State Archives, Albany.
  2. "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X457-WDG : accessed 11 March 2023), Edith Armistead in household of Oliver T Manning, Queens (Districts 1001-1250), Queens, New York, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 1191, sheet 13A, line 22, family 130, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1599; FHL microfilm 2,341,334.
  3. "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K79W-61Q : 7 January 2021), Edith Armistead in household of Charles Armistead, Queens, New York City, New York, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 41-1210, sheet 9B, line 41, family 176, 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 2743.
  4. "United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8LS-QFM : 5 December 2014), Edith J Armistead, enlisted 22 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. https://www.womenofthe6888th.org/list-of-6888th-veterans
  6. https://www.womenofthe6888th.org/6888th-facts
  7. https://www.womenofthe6888th.org/6888th-facts
  8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6888th_Central_Postal_Directory_Battalion
  9. "New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2HQH-RS7 : 2 March 2021), Edith J Armistead, 1945; citing Immigration, New York City, New York, United States, NARA microfilm publication T715 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
  10. "United States 1950 Census", database, FamilySearch (ark:/61903/1:1:6XRQ-JWPM : Mon Jan 30 03:01:08 UTC 2023), Entry for Dennis Tyrrell and Edith Tyrrell, 10 April 1950.
  11. "United States Public Records, 1970-2009", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KK3T-CQQ : 12 November 2019), Edith J Tyrrell, 2008-2008.
  12. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/97763772/edith-jane-tyrrell: accessed 11 March 2023), memorial page for Edith Jane Armistead Tyrrell (20 Oct 1921–4 Sep 2012), Find a Grave Memorial ID 97763772, citing Calverton National Cemetery, Calverton, Suffolk County, New York, USA; Maintained by J. Edward Ross (contributor 47159122).

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





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