Sanford honors late resident Edna Cross Burton for her World War II service
SANFORD, Fla. – Sanford residents gathered Wednesday at Veterans Memorial Park to recognize the sacrifices of U.S. service members during a Veterans Day ceremony.
Sanford Police blocked access near Lake Monroe while community members came together for the observance. Vanessa Thomas, the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs’ state women veterans’ coordinator, delivered the keynote speech.
The program also featured a posthumous tribute to Sanford resident Edna Cross Burton, who died in 1956. Burton served during World War II as a member of the historic 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion.
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The battalion, made up entirely of Black women, played a vital role in sorting and delivering mail to American troops overseas. Its service was recognized with the Congressional Gold Medal in 2022, and the unit’s story later reached a wider audience through a feature film directed by Tyler Perry.
Perry’s World War II film, “The Six Triple Eight,” will be offered as a free screening Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Sanford’s Ritz Theater.
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About the Author
Mark Lehman
Mark Lehman joined News 6 in July 2014 and has spent many years covering Central Florida. He begins work overnight, tracking developing stories and reporting from communities across the region while much of the area is still asleep. Mark also works as the Community Correspondent for Lake Mary, Casselberry, Oviedo and Winter Springs in Seminole County.
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