Women who inspired ‘Rosie the Riveter’ honored for service during WWII

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• Geoff Bennett:

  Some 80 years after their wartime efforts, real-life Rosie the Riveter are receiving the nation's highest civilian honor from Congress.

  John Yang has the story.

• Announcer:

  The call came clear: Wake up, Ms. America.

• John Yang:

  Some of them went to work in factories during World War II to join the war effort, some to help make ends meet while their husbands were fighting the war.

• Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA):

  I have the distinct honor of presenting this medal to Rosie the Riveter.

• John Yang:

  Today, about 30 of them represented their millions of sister workers at the U.S. Capitol to receive the Congressional Gold Medal, one of the nation's highest civilian honors.

  As men went off to war, some six million women went off to factories and shipyards, filling the jobs the men had left. Between 1940 and 1945, women in the work force went from 27 percent to nearly 37 percent. They were dubbed Rosie the Riveter, celebrated with an iconic poster, a Norman Rockwell painting, even a popular song.

  At age 17, Mae Krier went to work as, what else, a riveter on the B-17 assembly line at Boeing's plant in Seattle. She says she wanted to do her part in the war effort.

  Mae Krier , World War II Riveter: I was Rosie the Riveter. We became very patriotic and we did what our country needed and just so proud of what we were doing. And it makes us proud to realize that we not only helped save our country. We helped save the world.

• John Yang:

  And she says she was sending a message across the Atlantic.

• Mae Krier :

  I love to tell the story what Hitler said. He said he wouldn't have any trouble defeating America because American women couldn't produce. He said we're soft and spoiled. We spend too much time on cosmetic and frivolous things. I think we showed Hitler what American women were made of.

• John Yang:

  When peace came and former G.I.s went back to work, many Rosies lost their jobs or returned to more traditional roles. Their service was quickly forgotten.

• Mae Krier :

  After the war, everything was for the men, which they deserved. I don't mean to take that away at all. But men will tell you, they couldn't have won the war without what those women built.

  About 40 years ago, I wanted to recognize the women. I wanted to. So many of our women didn't realize that they were Rosie the Riveters. They would build the engines. They would build the electrical system. They'd build the tires. We couldn't have got that plane off the ground if it hadn't done for those women.

  And so many of them didn't think that they were Rosie because they didn't fall into that category.

  It's such a nice honor. And I'm so proud to be able to symbolically accept this medal for all of you.

• John Yang:

  Today, they got that long overdue recognition.

• Mae Krier :

  We're so proud of the women and young girls who are following in our lead. I think that's one of the greatest things we left behind is what we have done for women. I think that's important.

  To all of the Rosies everywhere, we have gone down in history. Isn't that great? I love that.

  (Cheering and applause)

• Mae Krier :

  My last thought is, remember these four little words: We can do it.

  (Cheering and applause)

• John Yang:

  Now 98 years old, Krier says she will never forget the day the war ended nearly seven decades ago. And now she will likely never forget the day when she and the millions of other Rosies were honored at the Capitol.

  For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm John Yang.