Maryland
Historian uncovers largely unknown story of the 6888 Battalion with Maryland ties
‘The 6 Triple Eight’, an American war drama, has become Tyler Perry’s most-watched Netflix film.
Viewed close to 75 million times, it tells the largely unknown story of the all-black, all-woman 6888 postal battalion, the only such battalion to ever serve overseas during World War II.
The movie was inspired by an article written by a military historian who interviewed the few surviving members of the battalion.
However, to understand their story, you must go back to 1947, when then-President Harry Truman desegregated the army and had the records of almost all the black units destroyed. This “we’re all one” gesture was originally meant to signify that the U.S. army was all-inclusive, despite civil rights strides throughout the U.S.
Truman’s efforts made it extremely tough for historian Kevin Hymel when he was asked to write an article about the 6888 Battalion on the occasion of a monument being erected for the brave women.
“This story really hadn’t been told for almost 80 years when I wrote my first article about them,” Hymel said. “The biggest thing I learned…there was a black unit of women in Europe in World War II. I had no idea!”
Kevin wrote his second article on the 6888 in 2018, as the postal directory monument at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas was to be unveiled. He contacted the few remaining veterans including 94-year-old, Lena Derricott King.
“At 94-years-old she was still cooking her own meals and going out every Saturday night dancing. At 94 years old this is an amazing woman…was an amazing woman,” Hymel said.
Lena’s story is featured in the film.
“I think the movie did an amazing job…”
Before Kevin’s article came out, his publisher reached out to Hollywood producers, who then called Kevin.
“One day they called and said, ‘Tyler Perry is going to be calling you. He’s very interested in the movie. I thought, ‘Right, Tyler Perry is going to call me’,” Kevin said sarcastically. “And sure enough, two days later Tyler Perry called me”
Kevin then became the military history advisor on the film.
“I think the movie did an amazing job of showing the dignity of these women that went into an unknown atmosphere. Not just a war zone, but a zone where they were not wanted in certain ways and proved themselves and kind of rose above and showed what they could do,” he explained.
What they did was disentangle a mail system that wasn’t working.
“This mail has been sitting here for over 10 months. The soldiers have not heard from their loved ones and their loved ones have not heard from them,” said Kerry Washington as she played Major Charity Adams in the film.
Letters and packages hadn’t been distributed to soldiers for close to a year.
“When there is no mail, there is no morale. But all that said, this is our mission and we will not fail,” Major Adams says during an inspirational moment as she gives a speech to the 6888 battalion.
In just 90 days, 17 million pieces of mail were sent out. However, it’s important to note that this is at a time when the military environment wasn’t always welcoming, especially while training in the U.S.
“…where they [were] met with all kinds of prejudices [that] they really were not prepared for,” Kevin added. “Being completely ignored by your officers, or having one of your fellow soldiers, a white female, throw glasses of water over the stall while you’re trying to go to the bathroom in the ladies’ room.”
“I was happy, and I was sad…”
Karen Taylor grew up hearing stories like this from her mother, Second Lieutenant Vivian Elzie Taylor. She and 18 other Maryland women volunteered for the 6888.
While the work was hard, Karen says her mother loved being overseas.
“It was not like the U.S. In the U.S., we couldn’t go…she couldn’t go to restaurants,” Karen said.
She told WJZ’s Denise Koch that she has seen the Tyler Perry film at least 5 times since it was released on December 6, 2024.
“I was happy, and I was sad,” Karen said as she reflected on the film. “The sad part was I’m sitting here watching a story that no one knew about.”
“So many women in the 6888 came home and almost never spoke about their service…They served their country. They came home and got on with their lives. And it’s amazing that the story is finally being told to a larger audience,” Kevin rejoiced. “And those few women survivors, and more importantly their descendants, should be so proud of the movie and the service that their mothers and aunts, you know, and anyone related to the 6888 accomplished in World War II.”
Baltimore may be under an extreme heat alert, but residents can dream about autumn, as tickets are now on sale for the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show returning to the Maryland State Fairgrounds in October.
This three-day celebration of home and garden takes place from Friday, Oct. 16 through Sunday, Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Expect hundreds of exhibitors, local makers, home improvement experts, family-friendly experiences and celebrity guests. The show offers everyone the chance to explore the very latest in home improvement, landscaping, outdoor living and decor, the chance to take part in hands-on experiences, and do some holiday shopping all under one roof.
This year’s show will have more than 300 exhibitors, including more than 100 crafters from around Maryland in the Makers Market. There will be unique exhibits, stage presentations and a special appearance by Chase Morrill, Ashley Morrill-Eldridge and Ryan Eldridge from Magnolia Network’s hit series “Maine Cabin Masters.” The three will have two Main Stage appearances, one on Friday, Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. and the second on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 12 p.m.
“As temperatures start to drop and the holiday season comes into view, the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show is a place to gather ideas, meet local experts and get inspired before the busy season begins,” said Dave Paul, show manager, in a statement. “Whether attendees are planning a home project, looking for outdoor living ideas or getting a head start on holiday shopping, the show brings together resources and experiences for every kind of homeowner, maker and DIY enthusiast.”
In addition to the Makers Market and stars of “Maine Cabin Masters”, the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show will have a petting zoo, a Kids Market where attendees can shop from local children, and much more.
Tickets are available online and at the door. Prices are as follows:
Online:
- Adults: $8
- Senior Citizens (60+): $6
- Children (ages 6-12): $4
- 4-Pack Online: $30 for four tickets, valid for one admission each and one day only
At the door:
- Adults: $10
- Senior Citizens (60+): $8
- Children (ages 6-12): $4
- Friday & Saturday: $4 after 4 p.m. at the door only
Special Offers:
- Active and retired military personnel, veterans, firefighters and police officers receive free admission all weekend, along with one guest, with valid ID at the box office.
- Attendees who show a CharmPass app, Light RailLink ticket or eligible transit pass at the box office receive free admission any day of the show. One admission is available per pass.
The Maryland State Fairgrounds is located at 2200 York Road in Lutherville-Timonium.
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Maryland
Maryland police arrest alleged bank robber wielding stolen cat: ‘Tried to use her as an accessory’
Law enforcement agencies are accustomed to dealing with cat burglars – but now a Maryland police department is saying it grappled with a cat-wielding bank robber.
The Prince George’s county police department said its officers arrested a man suspected of stealing a cat and then taking the animal with him to a PNC bank branch in the local community of Beltsville to rob the establishment on Monday morning.
“The cat was returned” after the suspect was arrested, the police department said in a statement to the Guardian on Tuesday. The agency said no injuries were reported, and it declined to name the suspect or release additional details, saying the case – bound for a spot in the annals of bizarre reported US crimes – remained under investigation.
Nonetheless, a social media post from rescue shelter Beltsville Community Cats provided more information.
A Beltsville Community Cats Facebook page post on Monday identified the cat at the center of the alleged botched caper as Magnolia, a three-and-a-half-month-old tuxedo kitten. The shelter recounted how the suspect first snatched Magnolia from her “adoption habitat” at Beltsville’s Pet Supplies Plus store, took her across the parking lot to a PNC branch, and “tried to use her as an accessory in [an] attempted robbery”.
“He asked the bank manager to hold the kitten while he wrote a note, then handed the note to a teller demanding all the cash,” the post continued. “Thankfully, the robbery was unsuccessful, the suspect was arrested, and Magnolia was found safe and sound in the bank manager’s office, where the two had bonded over their shared ordeal.”
Pet Supplies Plus store employees told the NBC affiliate in nearby Washington DC that Magnolia’s cat napper had come in daily for about two weeks and focused on the kitten each time.
Finally, on Monday, he managed to use a key to open a cat adoption area and whisked Magnolia away, store employees said to the outlet, WRC.
Store manager Aaron Kurkowski told WRC that Magnolia’s thief “came in and saw none of my team was nearby the front – and he just went right to her and ran right on out”.
According to WRC, Stephanie Stullich of Beltsville Community Cats then received a call from a pet store employee who alerted her to Magnolia’s plight.
That prompted Stullich to run over to the store, where she said to WRC that she “immediately saw all of these police cars and … thought, ‘Wow, that’s a heck of a response for a stolen cat’.”
“But then I realized they all were going down to the bank,” Stullich recalled to WRC. “They came back out a few minutes later and said, ‘Yes, there is a cat inside the bank.’”
Two days before her catnapping, Magnolia was the subject of a Beltsville Community Cats Facebook post inviting people to see her at Pet Supplies Plus and consider adopting her.
Magnolia as of Monday was still waiting to be adopted, Beltsville Community Cats said in its post detailing the bank robbery.
The non-profit organization offered members of the public the opportunity to apply to adopt Magnolia by emailing rescue@beltsvillecats.net.
Beltsville Community Cats’ post also joked that Magnolia’s “brief ‘life of crime’ is behind her” – except for undoubtedly “stealing” hearts, treats, toys and cuddles wherever her forever home may be.
Why a fire blanket is a must-have for every kitchen
Learn how a fire blanket can smother flames safely and protect your home from grease fires.
A dog jumping onto a kitchen counter accidentally turned on a toaster and ignited nearby combustibles, sparking a fire that killed three pets inside a Belcamp, Maryland, home, according to multiple reports, citing local fire officials.
The blaze broke out July 10 while the unidentified family was away, prompting neighbors to rescue two dogs before fire crews arrived, WBAL‑TV and Fox 45 reported.
The Abingdon Fire Company responded at 5:35 p.m. ET to the home and brought the fire under control in about 20 minutes, according to the fire station’s Facebook post. There were no human injuries, but investigators reported extensive fire, soot, smoke and water damage throughout the single‑family home, Fox 45 reported.
Ring home security video captured the moments before the fire. Investigators said the footage showed one of the family’s dogs climbing onto the counter and pawing at items near the toaster, helping deputy state fire marshals determine the fire’s point of origin and ultimately rule its cause as accidental.
Three pets – a dog named Dakota and two unidentified cats – died in the blaze, according to Fox 45. Two other dogs, Bo and Addie, were rescued by neighbors. The family’s bearded dragon survived after spending 24 hours in critical care, officials said.
Neighbors rescue two dogs from burning home
Fire officials said Bo was the dog seen on video inadvertently turning on the toaster. The appliance ignited nearby materials, allowing the fire to spread rapidly through the kitchen before crews arrived.
Neighbors who saw smoke coming from the home reached Bo and Addie before conditions worsened.
Officials detail damage to home
Officials estimated the home sustained about $150,000 in structural damage and roughly $50,000 in damage to its contents, though some assessments place the total loss closer to $200,000, Fox 45 reported. Firefighters prevented the blaze from spreading to neighboring properties, but the interior of the home was heavily damaged.
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@usatodayco.com, or on X @athompsonUSAT
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