22-03-2025
18 Surviving Rosie the Riveters Visit the National WWII Museum
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — In 1942, Redd Evans and John Jacob Loeb wrote the song titled 'Rosie the Riveter.' The song's name would be the identity of an estimated six million women who took wartime jobs in factories across the United States of America.
Recently, 18 surviving women were honored at the National World War Two Museum. The Gary Sinise Foundation, an organization that honors first defenders, veterans and the like, organized the honor.
The day started with members of several local New Orleans High Schools, Gary Sinise Foundation Members and World War II museum staff welcoming the women with applause. The women watched a film about their contributions to the war effort and were then led on personalized tours through the museum, along with a luncheon and reception.
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Cristin Kampsnider is with the Gary Sinise Foundation, and says 'They are quite the wild bunch. We have a woman here who raised her hand to serve when she was 15 years old. She was so small that they put her inside the wings of the aircraft. These women paved the way. We are pleased to honor them.'
One of the Rosie the Riveters that visited was originally a nursing student, who would go on to work a factory that produced B26 airplanes. Her name is Roberta Jane Tidmore and she is 103 years of age. She worked the factory for six months before she became one of the first women to join the Marine Corps, Jan. 4, 1944.
By Sept. 2, 1945, World War II was over and Tidmore was in San Diego when the news broke.
'So I went to the pie shop and I brought it back to the barracks and we had banana cream pie for dessert. It was our slice of celebratory American pie.'
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Over the years, Tidmore has lived in Baja California, has taken up an interest in dancing and was a flight attendant for United Airlines.
She hopes to continue living the good life and driving around the country to see museums.
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18 Surviving Rosie the Riveters Visit the National WWII Museum
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