The upcoming program How Did American Women Act? Heroism on the Home Front will examine how women’s roles changed significantly during World War II. Tell us how it impacted you or the women in your family. A selection of responses may be shared during the program or on social media using #USHMM #AskWhy.
Examples:
“If you ask me, my grandmother, Rose Manzella, was the real Rosie the Riveter. During World War II, my gramma, who everyone called Rosie, was a riveter at Bell Aircraft in Buffalo, New York. Her parents were Italian immigrants, and in her traditional family, it was somewhat controversial that she earned more than any of her four brothers. After the war, my grandmother took on the role of wife and mother of five. She looked back at her time during the war as a moment when women were able to show what they were made of.”—Laura
“My grandmother, Lois, was a secretary in the electrical department at the Naval Ammunition Depot east of Hastings, Nebraska. At one point during World War II, the depot produced more than 40 percent of the US Navy’s munitions. After the war, she helped run her family’s electric company.”—Marisa
Photo: Women workers install fixtures and assemblies to a tail fuselage section of a B-17 bomber at the Douglas Aircraft Company plant, Long Beach, California. Courtesy of the Library of Congress