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.
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| "Rosy" inspired us all! |
