Clarksville woman reflects on working as a riveter during WWII
Thelma Bryant, now 95, is reflecting on the year she spent as a riveter.
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – Clarksville resident Thelma Bryant, now 95, is reflecting on the year she and her family spent in Mobile, Alabama, during World War II.
At just 16 years old, Thelma lied about her age to work alongside her mother as a riveter.
“We had done so much I don’t even remember,” Bryant said. “We stayed busy. I can tell you that.”
She remembers patching up several planes damaged in the war and says she enjoyed contributing to the war effort.
“They were good to me,” she said. “I can’t say they weren’t.”
Despite the challenging times, Bryant’s children describe her as a hard worker who took pride in serving her country.
“We did different things,” Bryant said. “We lived in a trailer most of the time. Different things happened. I remember so much stuff in Mobile. They were busy all the time.” Laurie Ranta, Tennessee’s State Director for the American Rosie the Riveter Association, shared insights about the important roles women like Bryant played during the war.
“As she would put it, loose lips sank ships. When factories closed, women were sent home, expected to be homemakers, and were told not to talk about anything,” Ranta explained.
Ranta’s mother also worked during WWII. “I remember going home when I was a kid and telling mom, ‘You are Rosie,’ and she’s like, ‘No, we don’t talk about that. It was the men we talked about,” she said.
Sept. 2 will mark 79 years since World War II ended. Ranta said it’s important to continue to honor these women and preserve their stories.
“We had 27 Rosies in Washington, DC for the Rosie the Riveter Congressional Gold Medal that was awarded on April 10,” she said. “They came from all over the country. If we don’t document what these women did, and all the different jobs they did, it’ll be lost forever.”
The American Rosie the Riveter Association is looking for more women who worked during WWII. They have a national convention coming up on June 13th in Nashville. If you know someone who was a Rosie, reach out and their story will be documented.
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