[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 18865-18866]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      THE DEDICATION OF THE LONG BEACH ROSIE THE RIVETER PARK AND 
                          INTERPRETIVE CENTER

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. LAURA RICHARDSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 2, 2010

  Ms. RICHARDSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to support the dedication 
of the Long Beach Rosie the Riveter Park and Interpretive Center.
  The Rosie the Riveter Park and Interpretive Center is an historic 
accomplishment for the Rosie Riveters, for Long Beach, California and 
for our nation.
  Since over 175,000 women served at the Long Beach Douglas Aircraft 
Company, it is very appropriate that the Long Beach Rosie the Riveter 
Park and Interpretive Center be the second site in the United States 
dedicated to honoring the contributions of the women, symbolized by the 
cultural icon ``Rosie the Riveter,'' who served on the home front 
during World War II.
  The first Rosie the Riveter Park, located in Richmond, California, 
focuses on women who worked in the Kaiser shipyards. The Long Beach 
Rosie the Riveter Park and Interpretive Center, however, focuses 
specifically on the women who assembled military aircraft at the 
Douglas Aircraft Company in Long Beach. The Long Beach site includes 
informational displays on the Women Airforce Service Pilots, WASP. 
These women transported the airplanes assembled by the women at the 
Douglas Aircraft Company and other aircraft plants in Southern 
California.
  During World War II over 6 million brave women courageously entered a 
new workforce and served admirably the United States Armed Forces by 
manufacturing and delivering many parts, planes, and ammunition that 
enabled our victory. ``Rosie the Riveter'' is an historic American 
cultural icon that represents these women who were able to produce 
300,000 airplanes, 102,000 armored vehicles, 77,000 ships, 20 million 
small arms, 40 billion bullets and 6 million tons of bombs.
  The Rosie the Riveter Park and Interpretive Center features 3 acres 
of historic, interpretive displays surrounded by a rose-colored walking 
path that circles the park and includes an etched timeline that 
chronicles the history of Long Beach, Douglas Aircraft Company, and the 
women who worked at the plant. Attached to 1940's era light poles are 
interpretive signs bring up a number of themes, including: the Arsenal 
of Democracy, Long Beach in 1941, Rosie the Riveter Comes to Long 
Beach, Airplanes and the War, and Women in the Workplace. All the signs 
feature photographs obtained from the Library of Congress and the 
Boeing Company. Students are encouraged to test their knowledge of 
World War II history at additional signs with ``Did you know?'' 
information displays. Military service flags also hang from each light 
pole.
  Along the walking path are several stopping points with etched stars 
and colorful tiles that are replicas of the recruitment posters used to 
encourage women to enter the workforce during the war.
  A recorded narrated tour of the park that gives visitors additional 
information and takes them back to the 1940s with music and radio 
broadcasts is available for free by cellphone and can be downloaded by 
podcast. Visitors can listen while walking or sitting at several of the 
benches placed throughout the park.
  The park also features a replica of a ``compass rose'' that once 
decorated the lobby of the Roosevelt Naval Base in Long Beach. The 
compass rose has historically been used by pilots and navigators to 
locate their position and is symbolic of the way in which World War II 
took our Nation and its people all over the world in the defense of 
freedom.
  Adjacent to the compass rose is a quiet garden and memorial to the 
women and men who served in the military, noting in the inscription: 
``All Gave Some--Some Gave All.'' Carved emblems for each branch of the 
military, as well as the Women Airforce Service Pilots, are embedded 
into the memorial. Three flags fly over the memorial: a U.S. flag flown 
over the Capitol, a California flag, and a City of Long Beach flag.
  At the south side of the park is a ``flight path'' lit with solar 
powered flashing lights that follows several planes etched in the 
pavers--planes that were assembled at the Douglas Aircraft plant. The 
99s--an organization of women pilots formed by Amelia Earhart and Long 
Beach's first female licensed pilot, Gladys O'Donnell--will paint an 
air marking at the terminus of flight path just as they did before and 
after World War II.
  In the Spring of 2011, the Long Beach park will add a replica of the 
original relief designed by Raymond Kaskey, which depicts women 
assembling airplanes and is included in the National World War II 
Memorial here in Washington, DC. This wonderful addition to the Long 
Beach site is being partially funded by a generous contribution from 
the Daughters of the American Revolution.
  The Long Beach Rosie the Riveter Foundation maintains a Web site, 
www.lbrosie.com which includes links for teacher resources in order to 
utilize the park as a teaching opportunity for Long Beach and United 
States history.
  I call upon my colleagues to take this opportunity to study, reflect 
upon, and celebrate the stories and accomplishments of the women who 
served the nation as ``Rosies'' during World War II and to acknowledge 
all those for their efforts to honor the contributions of these heroic 
women.

[[Page 18866]]



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