A turret lathe operator is shown machining transport plane parts in 1942 at Consolidated Aircraft Corp. plant, in Texas. Millions of women worked in defense industry jobs during World War II. (U.S. Library of Congress)
WASHINGTON — A memorial recognizing “Rosie the Riveters” — the women who toiled on the home front in shipyards and factories during World War II — is planned for the nation’s capital.
The House last month adopted legislation to designate a site on the National Mall for a permanent tribute to honor the 18 million women who worked as riveters, welders, pilots, machinists, codebreakers and in other roles supporting the war effort.
The memorial will honor all women who filled civilian jobs on the home front during World War II, according to supporters.
“These women served as the backbone of the war effort and many directly contributed by building planes, tanks, munitions, and other equipment needed by American troops,” said Raya Kenney, chief executive officer and founder of the WWII Women’s Memorial Foundation. “As Gen. Eisenhower said, ‘The contribution of the women of America, whether on the farm or in the factory or in uniform, to D-Day was a sine qua non of the invasion effort.’ ”
The Women’s World War II Memorial Location Act is pending a hearing before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources prior to a vote by the full chamber.
“The monuments and memorials displayed in Washington tell America’s story,” said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., a bill sponsor and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
The bill authorizes Congress to place a commemorative work on the National Mall.
“This bill will take us one step closer to ensuring our Rosies receive the recognition they deserve,” said Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., who helped lead the legislation in the House.
The future memorial, estimated to cost $15 million, will be paid for by private donations and located within walking distance of the World War II Memorial, according to supporters.
A permanent site will be chosen in consultation with the National Park Service and other entities, according to Shaheen’s office.
A final design has yet to be determined.
The iconic symbol of Rosie the Riveter, flexing her biceps, came to symbolize women’s contributions on the home front after the U.S. entered World War II in 1941. (War Production Co-Ordinating Committee, United States Creator, World Digital Library )
The iconic symbol of Rosie the Riveter, flexing her biceps, came to symbolize women’s contributions on the home front after the U.S. entered World War II in 1941.
“Our Rosies answered the call when our nation needed them most, redefining the role of the American woman and opening the door wider for generations to come,” Dingell said.
Women were encouraged to take jobs traditionally held by men, who left home to serve in the armed forces and fight on the battlefields of Europe. They entered the workforce in unprecedented numbers. At a Ford Motor Co. plant in Michigan, for example, women helped to build B-24 bombers.
“Up until 1941, it was a man’s world. They didn’t know how capable us women were, did they?” said Mae Krier, during a 2024 Gold Medal ceremony in D.C. honoring Rosie the Riveters.
Krier worked building bombers at a Boeing aircraft plant in Seattle from 1943 to 1945.
The contributions of civilian women in World War II are often overlooked, but they kept the American economy and war machine running, according to the WWII Women’s Memorial Foundation, a nonprofit organization.
Rosie the Riveter was popularized as a cultural icon after a 19-year-old worker named Rosalind Walter inspired a song about the young women employed in the war industry, according to the Library of Congress. Illustrations of Rosie the Riveter soon appeared on magazine covers and on posters for campaigns to recruit women for jobs in factories and on assembly lines.
The 1940s-era poster was used in campaigns to encourage women to fill defense industry jobs for welders, electricians, machinists and other jobs traditionally held by men. The image is part of the National Archives. (U.S. Office of War Information)
Women helped to build Liberty ships, assemble airplanes and produce ammunition and bombs at munitions plants. They also were farmhands, bus drivers, and lumberjacks. Many of the roles had previously been closed to them.
“The invaluable contributions of Rosie the Riveters during World War II are measured not only by the countless American lives they helped save, but also by the generations of women they inspired to serve our nation,” Shaheen said.
Congress in 2022 passed legislation authorizing the WWII Women’s Memorial Foundation to establish a memorial for recognizing women who were not in uniform but performing jobs vital to the U.S. military.
The WWII Women’s Memorial Foundation is embarking on a fundraising campaign to develop the memorial, soliciting donations from individuals and companies. Boeing is among the corporations contributing to the project.
No government dollars are being used for the memorial.
There is no formal count on the number of women still alive who worked in defense industry jobs during World War II. Rosie the Riveters still living are in their 90s and 100s.
Their contributions and sacrifices are gaining greater recognition as their numbers dwindle.
In 2023, Dingell and other lawmakers hosted a visit to the U.S. Capitol by 11 “Rosie the Riveters,” ages 98 to 101.
In 2024, 27 women across the country who held jobs vital to the U.S. military effort were identified. They received Congressional Gold Medals — the highest honor bestowed on civilians — in a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol.
Welder Peggy Bridgeman, left, demonstrated technique to trainee Ruth Harris as their instructor, Lee Fiscus, looked on at the Tubular Alloy Steel Corp., Indiana. The image is part of the National Archives. A memorial is proposed for the nation’s capital to recognize the work of women on the home front in support of the military in World War II. (U.S. Labor Department)
