In March 2016, thirty original "Rosie the Riveters" who worked in the armaments industry during World War II were honored in Washington D.C.
The Willow Run Bomber Plant in Ypsilanti, Michigan, where the Rosies worked, was a major contributor to the "Arsenal of Democracy" and produced nearly 9,000 B-24 Liberators during the war. The honorees, who were all between 80 and 90-years-old, were greeted with cheers and flowers at the Dulles International Airport and treated to a visit to the World War II Memorial, a special luncheon at the Library of Congress, and a photo on the Capitol steps. The Ford Motor Company Fund, Talons Out Honor Flight, and Yankee Air Museum arranged the daylong excursion to celebrate the women and their critical contributions to the war effort.
