Gave a talk to the local state chapter of Rosie the Riveters about my book. What an interesting and touching experience. They have published their own books of member stories. March 21 is National Rosie the Riveter Day. We should be proud of these women who as youngsters went to do "men's work" in the factories, jumpstarting new freedoms for women.
 It was during World War II that women began working in factories, replacing men who had gone to war. It led to major changes in society's views of women's traditional roles. Today, "Rosies," as they call themselves, have an association honoring and celebrating the remaining Rosies. Daughters and granddaughters can join too. Check their website to see if there is a group in your community.
 V-Mail or Victory Mail was developed by Eastman Kodak dur- ing the war to give enlisted men an alternative method to write home. V-Mails were censored at the various Naval fleet post offices and transferred to microfilm before being flown to key locations in the European and Pacific theaters for processing. The microfilm negatives were blown up to 60 percent of their original size using Kodak’s photography equipment, printed, and distributed to the sailors. Without the love letters my parents exchanged during World War II, there would not have been a book, Dear Hubby of Mine: Home Front Wives in World War II. My Navy dad was Involved in the Pacific theater of the war—Leyte Island in the Philippines, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa—on the destroyer escort USS Bull. Here's a photo of the gun crew (Lou is in upper right with the ever present cigarette.)   It was about 75 years ago that my parents shared a goodbye dinner as Lou , in his U.S. Navy sailor suit, joined his ship the USS Bull and its convoy to haul supplies to Ireland for the European theater. It was only the beginning of Irma's worries about his whereabouts and safety. (See page 53 in the book)
The National women's History Miuxdeum ion DC has accepted my mom's story on their Chronicles of American Women section of their website. Check it out:
https://www.womenshistory.org/irma-vajda |
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June 2021
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