“Women have stoked the furnaces and hurried the factory wheels. They have made the planes, welded the tanks, riveted the ships and rolled the shells. Women who stepped up were measured as citizens of the Nation, not as women. This was a people’s war and everyone was in it.” — President Franklin D. Roosevelt

Those women who survive today proudly refer to themselves as “Rosies,” after the iconic Rosie the Riveter character who appeared in recruiting ads. I recently had the opportunity to interview a Rosie: 94-year old Jane Tucker who currently lives in Loganville, Georgia.

Jane was born in 1927 in the small town of Lineville, Alabama (population 1,000). Her mother, who got divorced when Jane was two, struggled to provide for Jane and her older sister. She worked as a telephone operator making $25 a month; some months she didn’t even get paid because customers couldn’t pay their bills. As a young teen, Jane helped out by working at a 5 and 10 cent store to earn $1 a day.

In 1943, Jane’s mother heard from her cousin that women could work for the war effort in Savannah, Georgia, and make $1.25 an hour. So she moved to Savannah with her two teenaged daughters, and all three of them got work at what was then considered a fine wage. “We thought we were wealthy,” recalls Jane.

Jane worked as a rod welder to build ships, which were used to take supplies to the troops. She had to wear heavy pants (unheard of for women in those days), boots that came to the mid-calf, gloves and a face covering. Falling sparks presented a constant danger. They had to keep the machine at just the right temperature in order to have the metal work properly. There were 4,000 workers (mostly women) on every shift, working ten hours a day, six days a week

“We were shunned by some of the men,” says Jane, “because they thought we might be too emotional to do the work.” Many Savannah citizens also didn’t take kindly to the women who wore such odd garb to and from work.

On the other hand, the women working on the ship developed a strong sense of camaraderie. They also enjoyed getting to know soldiers stationed at the Hunter Army Airfield, a jumping-off point for Europe. “They were great guys,” says Jane.

They often got blind dates for USO dances. “One time my friend and I had two blind dates. She got the tall guy, and I got the short guy, who was totally bald, and that was before Yul Brynner popularized the bald look.” It turned out that the short bald guy was a fine dancer, and he and Jane got together several times. “You can’t tell a book by its cover,” she notes. She found out that her bald friend was a gunner who had flown 35 missions. Stress had caused his hair to fall out.

Jane says she learned some important lessons as a Rosie. “My grandfather fought in the Civil War and he hated the Yankees. At USO dances, I met young men from all over the country, and they were wonderful people.” She also learned the importance of taking care of material things and saving money. She loves the saying, “Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”

After the War, Jane went to Northwestern University in Chicago where she trained to be a dental hygienist. She then worked as a dental hygienist in Georgia for 55 years. “I helped people take care of their teeth, which is very important for maintaining good health. I’d talk to them about it and they couldn’t talk back because I had my hand in their mouth.”

Jane Tucker became an active advocate for her fellow Rosies about 15 years ago. “At first, I’d get nervous talking about my experiences, but then I realized it wasn’t about me. It was about our stories.” She’s talked at schools and colleges and many service organizations. She’s also been honored at Fourth of July parades and, most recently, at an Atlanta Braves baseball game.

When I asked Jane what advice she gives to young people, she said, “Do your best, day by day. Work hard at whatever you’re doing. Be honest and trustworthy. And never leave food on your plate.”

Looking back over her time during World War II, Jane says, “We did something special at a special time in our history.” Indeed they did.

David Treadwell, a Brunswick writer, welcomes commentary and suggestions for future “Just a Little Old” columns. dtreadw575@aol.com. (David’s latest book co-authored with Anneka Williams, who graduated from Bowdoin College this past May, is entitled, “A Flash Fiction Exchange Between Methuselah and the Maiden: Sixty Stories to While Away the Hours,” is available at Gulf of Maine books (Brunswick), Mockingbird Books (Bath), Longfellow Books (Portland), Paul’s Marina (Brunswick), the Bowdoin Bookstore or on Amazon.)

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