May 7th, 1942
Dear John,
It's wonderful to hear from you and I am glad that all is well so far. Things here are going swell. I heard from the girls Meredith and Joann that at Minter Field, which is not too far from Bakersfield perhaps twenty miles, job openings as riveters were open. So we went right on down there and well what do you know, here we are working on the Army's training planes! It is actually quite nice here; there is a Chapel, a swimming pool, a theatre, a post office; when we are not busy with work there is always something relaxing and entertaining to do. I'm learning a lot about the Vultee BT-13 Valiant and the Cessna Bamboo Bomber; they're quite common around these parts. The student pilots use the BT-13 in their second or third phase of their training, oh my, I just realized you've already gone through this training so you must already know these things! Anywho, the work that I have been doing is quite interesting and challenging. I have an instructor who watches my every move; it is very much as though the men do not trust us. I'm sure they are unhappy with our presence in their working space, but I think little by little they have come to accept it. They often teased us and called us degrading names, and there is this lady by the name of Rosie who sees it fit to wear skin-tight red blouses and it bothered the men so much that our instructor asked her to wear overalls to work from then and on…That Rosie sure is a character. I do not understand why it is that she wears those shirts; everyone knows that factory attire calls for slacks or overalls. Where was I...? Ah, my work. While we were being trained on how to use the rivet gun properly our instructor gave us some metal sheets to practice with as he bore holes into the back of our heads. John, I am telling you, these men are either hostile or extremely careful about their work…perhaps a combination of the two? Well, now that I am thinking about it, it must be a combination of the two. I did not exactly realize the importance of our jobs when we first arrived. But here we are, with lives depending on us and the repairs we make on these planes. Sometimes while Meredith, Joann, and I are working, we sing that song “Rosie the Riveter” although it seems to irritate the men who get partnered with us at times. They say it is ‘too distracting’ to listen to us sing and that they may not do the repairs correctly with all of the ‘distractions’. Have you heard the song? It goes something like this:
While other girls attend their fav’rite cocktail bar, Sipping Martinis, munching caviar. There’s a girl who’s really putting them to shame, Rosie is her name. All the day long whether rain or shine, she’s a part of the assembly line. She’s making history, working for victory. Rosie the Riveter Keeps a sharp lookout for sabotage, sitting up there on the fuselage. That little frail can do more than a male will do, Rosie the Riveter. Rosie’s got a boyfriend, Charlie. Charlie, he’s a Marine. Rosie is protecting Charlie Working overtime on the riveting machine. When they gave her a production “E” She was as proud as a girl could be. There’s something true about Red, white, and blue about Rosie the Riveter.
There is more to the song, but I think that will do. I hope you know I’m protecting you overtime on the riveting machine, John—we all are. Sometimes when I take a break from using the bucker bar or the riveting gun, I think about the old days when mother used to set out lemonade on the porch on hot days after our play time. I miss those days, and I miss you brother. I am sure if mother and father were still around they would love to see how well we have supported each other through-out the years physically and emotionally, even how we have supported our country in its time of need! I hope you can forgive me, a long while passed since I last wrote to you and next time I will be sure to be quicker in my efforts-- John, I hope the war will not treat you too badly.
with Love From Yours truly,
Samantha Stanford
www.pophistorydig.com
www.nps.gov
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