WASHINGTON — About a dozen women who put their lives on hold to help win World War II were celebrated in D.C. on Monday. Eleven women known as "Rosie the Riveters" were flown to the nation's capital by Honor Flight to visit the U.S. Capitol, the World War II Memorial and meet with lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
The iconic Rosie the Riveter represents women on the Home Front during World War II who worked in positions previously only held by men. The Rosies worked in a variety of positions building supplies for the war effort. More than 310,000 women worked in the U.S. aircraft industry in 1943, making up 65% of the industry’s total workforce.
One of the Rosies honored during Monday's visit was Mae Krier. At 95, she's one of the youngest of the surviving Rosies. She was hired by Boeing in Seattle as a riveter to build B-17 and B-25 bombers.
For the past 20 years, Krier has worked tirelessly to educate the public about the role women played on the Home Front during WWII. Krier was also instrumental in the creation of Rosie the Riveter Day, which is celebrated every year on March 21.
While there is not yet a memorial dedicated to the women on the Home Front like the Rosies, one young woman from D.C. is working to make one.
Raya Kenney has been working since she was just 10 years old to build the Women Who Worked on the Home Front Memorial. To donate to her effort, click here.