Category Archives: presentation

Redux: Rosie The Riveter

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<br /> Our Family’s Rosies<br />

Our Three Rosies


During World War II millions of men volunteered or were conscripted to serve in the military. As the men left the workforce a large hole was left in the country’s factories – especially those that directly supported the war effort.

Our government immediately started a national recruitment effort asking women to join the newly depleted workforce. Using the well known Rosie the Riveter posters, they called on women to show their patriotism with their labor. In all some 6 million women were employed in the war time factories.



Earlier this month this article caught my attention.

Some 80 years after WWII some of these women were awared the Congressional Gold Medal for their service.



These ladies are my mother and three of her sisters.

In the early 1940s, Mom and two of these sisters volunteered to work building aircraft to support the war effort.

Over the years, Mom related bits and pieces about their early years working for the war effort. Each day the three traveled from their home in New Rochelle, NY to the General Motors assembly plant had been converted to build wings for the Grumman Avenger torpedo bomber. Without a car, they were given a ride with a neighbor who also worked at the plant in Tarrytown, NY about twenty-five miles away.



This is a photograph of my Aunt Millie working on one of the assembly lines. I think she qualifies as a Rosie.



In 2012 I visited Tarrytown and snapped this photo.

This is the ground on which the General Motors assembly plant stood. You can see some of the rusted steel beams.

By this time, the plant had been demolished to make way for new condos which were going to be built on this site.

While neither Mom nor her sisters received Congressional Gold Metals, I ordered three of these commemorative metals for the families of Mom and two her sisters.



Here’s one of the metals that I purchased for Mom and her sisters.



Flip the coin over and you can see another image of the symbolic Rosie.



Aunt Jeanne’s Layoff Notice

For four years these hard working women had served the country making critical equipment and supplies.

Shortly after the war ended the factories were no longer producing military supplies. As a result most of the women were dismissed. Here is a layoff notification that my aunt received at the conclusion of one of her shifts.

 

We should thank all of these women for their dedication and patriotism. You can read a portion of the General Motors operation in Tarrytown during the war years by clicking here.

 

 

If you know someone who fits the Rosie the Riveter moniker you can order one of the commemorative metals from the United States Mint as a way to thank them.

Written by:

Arnie Lee

 

 


The Met

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Metropolitan Museum of Art

Last month while we were visiting the New York City area, we made a special trip to the well-known Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is the nation’s largest museum and contains a half a million specimens.

We spent a considerable amount of time perusing the huge collection of Egyptian art. Here are some of the exhibits.

Lights On

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Here is another one of my collections. This one is of decorative lighting in places that I have visited.

Most are interior shots of buildings or restaurants.

I hope that you like seeing some of these interesting lighting.