Maryland woman "proud" of mother's role in Six Triple Eight battalion during World War II
The Six Triple Eight, a military battalion made up of 855 Black women during World War II, included 19 from Maryland.
First Lieutenant Vivian Elzie Taylor and her sister Marian Elzie Wilson were among the Black Maryland women who enlisted and were sent first to England to solve what looked like an unsolvable problem.
In just 90 days, the women of the Six Triple Eight successfully delivered 17 million pieces of mail to boost the morale to the millions of soldiers.
"They were Marylanders who fought for the United States, who disregarded them in so many ways," said Karen Taylor, the daughter of First Lieutenant Vivian Elzie Taylor.
The group, which came to light in a recent Netflix film, was not publicly recognized for years after the war ended.
In March 2022, the 6888th Battalion became the only women's military unit to receive the nation's highest civilian honor -- the Congressional Gold Medal.
In 2023, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore declared March 9 6888 day. Karen Taylor was at the ceremony in Annapolis that honored her mother and aunt, who enlisted in the 6888th Battalion.
Stories of the Six Triple Eight
Karen Taylor, who grew up in Maryland and lives in Baltimore County, shared with WJZ the courageous story of her mother, aunt and hundreds of others in the 6888th Battalion.
In 1944, the U.S. Army was persuaded these Black women could be useful, so 855 signed up, including Vivian Elzie Taylor and Marian Elzie Wilson – both from Maryland.
Growing up on Maryland's Eastern Shore, Karen Taylor remembers seeing the picture of her mom and her aunt in uniform.
"I heard certain things all my life," Karen Taylor said. "She would pull papers out and say, see if you see my name."
The women in the battalion had to have at least a high school education.
"And if you wanted to be an officer, you had to have more, so that's how my mother got to be an officer," Karen Taylor said. "I was proud of her."
When First Lieutenant Vivian Elzie Taylor died in 1979, with military honors, her daughter realized that all the women of the Six Triple Eight needed recognition. She was calling, writing and lobbying.
"I've spoken to so many people and couldn't get anyone to listen, or people say, 'I'll call you back, and yeah, that's nice. but once it came out, the movie, it made it. I'm so thankful. Thank you Tyler Perry, wherever you are."
Netflix film recognizes Six Triple Eight women
In December 2024, the story of the Six Triple Eight Battalion was portrayed on Netflix, which was written and directed by Tyler Perry.
Actress Kerry Washington played the real life Maj. Charity Adams, who led the only all-Black us women's Army corps unit sent overseas during World War II.
At first, there was resistance to giving any role in the military to Black women.
"Military didn't want them," Karen Taylor said. "They said, we don't want you."
The soldiers fighting this war had not heard from their loved ones and their loved ones have not heard from them.
The morale of the soldiers was at an all-time low. So the women of the Six Triple Eight were ordered to deliver the communication and care packages to millions of soldiers.
The job was accomplished in three months.
Karen Taylor believes Perry's film has finally done for her mom and all the women of the Six Triple Eight what she's been trying to do for decades.
"This has been my mission to get my mother and her sister, my Aunt Marian, honored and recognized," Karen Taylor said.
Karen Taylor, who spoke with WJZ anchor Denise Koch about her mother's accomplishments, wishes her mother was still around to tell the stories.
"I would've loved, instead of me being here, her to be here explaining it to you. I would've loved that," Karen Taylor said.
Karen Taylor said everywhere she goes these days she stops, even to strangers, and talks about the movie and about her mother and her aunt and the actions they took to help the U.S. win the war.
"I know people get mad. I don't care," Karen Taylor said. "I'm telling the story. This is about my Mother, Lieutenant Vivian Elzie Taylor."
