[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 23 (Wednesday, February 11, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E196]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           ROSIE THE RIVETER

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. RICHARD M. NOLAN

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 11, 2015

  Mr. NOLAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize LaVonne Feichtinger 
Ostergaard of Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota. She was one of the thousands of 
women throughout America who served as a ``Rosie the Riveter'' during 
World War II when she went to work for 50 cents an hour at the Char-
Gale plant in St. Cloud. She operated as a riveter building planes. Her 
job was riveting the fuselage and wings on the outside of the aircraft 
for planes designed to carry cargo, personnel, patients and mechanized 
equipment and to drop cargo and troops by parachute. It was by no means 
a clean or quiet working environment. Mrs. Ostergaard never won any 
medals for her service, but I call upon all Members to remember how so 
many women--from small towns and big cities alike--stepped forward when 
they heard the call for workers to serve as riveters, buckers, sanders, 
welders, crane operators, bus drivers, uniform makers, bullet makers, 
parachute folders, clerical workers, shipyard workers, assembly line 
workers, Red Cross workers and more.
   These women probably never imagined they would answer the call to do 
this kind of work, but it was a time in our nation's history when 
everyone needed to pull together with their motto of ``We pull better 
if we pull together.'' Those who served on the home front are often 
unrecognized, as after the war, they quietly returned to the routine of 
raising children, helping on the home farm or the family business.
   According to the American Rosie the Riveter Association, of which 
Mrs. Ostergaard is a member, they came together for one purpose--to 
help win the war. They built 80,000 landing craft, 100,000 tanks, 
300,000 aircraft, 15,000 guns and 41,000,000,000 rounds of ammunition. 
It was a massive accomplishment and our nation owes these outstanding 
women our deepest gratitude.

                          ____________________