On this episode of Our American Stories, before World War II, factory work remained largely closed off to American women. That changed after the attack on Attack on Pearl Harbor, when millions of men shipped overseas to fight and wartime production created an urgent need for workers in America’s factories and shipyards. Millions of women stepped into industrial jobs across the country, and “Rosie the Riveter” became the public symbol of their labor and sacrifice.

Milka Bamond, a real-life Rosie the Riveter, shares her story of service on the home front during the war. We’d like to thank the Atlanta History Center for allowing us access to this audio, originally recorded as part of its Veterans History Project.

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