Tuesday, November 27, 2012

“Rosy the Riveter”

Perhaps my father-in-law was the inspiration behind the icon
by Daryl C.

I retired from Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in 2007 after 40 years of service. My parents and my sister also had long careers with Lockheed Martin, but the story I want to tell is about my father-in-law Hyman Rosenthal. He started working for Lockheed in Burbank in 1941 and retired in 1973. He used to tell a story around the dinner table about how he believed he was the original “Rosy the Riveter.” His friends at work always called him Rosy and in the early 1940s, one of the jobs he performed was riveting. He recalled one day a reporter from one of the news magazines (Life, Look – he wasn’t sure which one) was touring the factory. While the reporter was in the area, one of Rosy’s coworkers called out, “Hey Rosy.” Shortly after that incident Rosie the Riveter, a woman, started turning up in magazines and posters and became the symbol for women supporting the war effort. To his dying day in 2007, he always believed that he was the inspiration for "Rosie the Riveter." Rosy spent 32 years with Lockheed Martin ending his career at Lockheed's Rye Canyon Research, north of Los Angeles. He enjoyed 34 years of retirement before passing at the age of 99 years.

"Rosy" inspired us all!