CORONADO, Calif. (KGTV) — It's Rosie the Rivetter Day!
In Coronado, there is a Rosie the Riveter rose garden ready to bloom to honor the women who stepped up to help our country during WWII. It's part of a network of gardens that form a national living memorial to honor a million 'Rosies.'
Honored in front of the garden, was Betty.
"We can do it," said said.
She was one of the first riveters on the line in San Diego.
"We made the B-24 trip to release the prisoners of war at that time. We had to get an order out," said Betty Ridenour.
She said she went to the greyhound station right after the news broke about the attack on Pearl Harbor because the war was personal.
"I was 18 years old and I said I want to get to San Diego because I'm going out there to help fight the war because all our boys from New Mexico were caught over on baton and I was very close to - see, I start to choke up to that after all these years," she said while fighting back tears.
Betty is one of two local women known as Rosie the Riveters.
Six million women who served on the American home front building planes, ships, munitions, and working in all the necessary jobs to support the WWII effort the image became a symbol for the potential of what women can do.
"People think women can't do so much," said Betty.
That's why it's important for her to inspire the next generation of women.
"Young girls, if they want to do it. They can do it," she said.
