The women known as “Rosie the Riveters” were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal on Wednesday in a ceremony held at the U.S. Capitol.
"These are the women who built our bombs," House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said during the ceremony. "These are the invisible warriors on the home front."
According to the U.S. Department of Defense, about 5 million civilian women stepped up during World War II to address labor shortages, with many of them helping build equipment for the war effort.
[Mae] Krier, who spent years pressing for a National Rosie the Riveter Day, built B-17 and B-29 bomber aircraft at a Boeing factory in Seattle during the war. She turned 98 on March 21 — the date Congress has designated National Rosie the Riveter Day. […]
Senator Bob Casey, Democrat of Pennsylvania, credited Ms. Krier’s activism with ensuring that the history of the Rosies would not be forgotten.
“We all know the iconic image of Rosie the Riveter, but for too long, the remarkable women she represents did not get the recognition they deserve,” Mr. Casey, who sponsored legislation to honor the Rosies, said during Wednesday’s ceremony. “World War II would not have been won if it weren’t for the Rosies at home.”
Ms. Krier, for her part, had a message for the young girls of today:
“Remember these four little words: We can do it!” (NYT)
Real-life "Rosie the Riveters" were honored Wednesday with the Congressional Gold Medal, one of the nation's highest civilian awards.
— PBS NewsHour (@NewsHour) April 10, 2024
"We helped our country win the war," said Mae Krier, who built aircraft during the war and spoke at Wednesday's ceremony. pic.twitter.com/U3M8Olatex
This week, a long overdue Congressional Gold Medal will be presented to the women of World War II, known as Rosie the Riveters, who filled the jobs men left once being drafted. @CBSMMiller spoke with some of the women about how they changed the workforce forever. pic.twitter.com/EpgNI8AhSs
— CBS Saturday Morning (@cbssaturday) April 6, 2024
"This recognition is long overdue, but today Congress finally bestows this honor on these deserving patriots," said Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), a cosponsor of The Rosie the Riveter Congressional Gold Medal Act, which passed in 2020.
"We recognize these Rosies, and millions more, because they all sacrificed time away from home and used their God-given gifts and talents for the good of our country and for military victory against the Axis powers," Johnson said on X, sharing photos from the event. "America owes these heroic women an immense debt of gratitude."
It was my distinct honor to host a Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony today honoring Rosie the Riveter: The women who worked or volunteered in support of the war efforts during World War II.
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) April 10, 2024
We recognize these Rosies, and millions more, because they all sacrificed time away… pic.twitter.com/DtYCRT1ozx