OKLAHOMA CITY – Since 1995, U.S. presidents have issued annual proclamations declaring March as “Women’s History Month.” This March, the 60th Legislative Women’s Caucus joined the nation in recognizing and promoting the study, observance and celebration of the vital role women have played in American history. This was marked by a special floor recognition on the House floor led by Rep. Marilyn Stark, R-Bethany, commemorating Rosie the Riveter Day and celebrating female aircraft technicians and support personnel across the state. The State of Oklahoma has a long history of championing women in the workforce. It was the first state in the nation to establish a law designating Dec. 9 of each year as "Oklahoma Women in Aviation and Aerospace Day." On this day, all citizens are encouraged to take time to honor the achievements of Oklahoma women in aviation and aerospace and to recognize the inspiration these fields have provided to the residents of the state. From early 1942 to the end of World War II, the critical demand for labor created a wide range of job opportunities for women, including clerical positions and production jobs such as aircraft mechanics, welders, electricians and sheet metal workers. At Tinker Air Force Base, women carried out maintenance on aircraft such as the B-17, B-24 and B-29. Across the runway, the Douglas Aircraft Company employed a workforce comprised of 50 percent women who contributed to the production of half of all C-47 Skytrains made for the Allied war effort. In 1943, more than 310,000 women were employed in the aviation industry, and one in four married women worked outside the home. Before World War II, women comprised only 1 percent of aircraft workers; during the war, however, they held 65 percent of aviation jobs. “Although Rosie the Riveter has become a symbol of the women who supported our nation during wartime, today we honor Delora and Inez, two beloved Oklahomans recognized for their exceptional dedication to our country and state through their hard work and civil service,” said Stark. “It's important to remember that the original Rosie the Riveter was from Tulsa, Oklahoma! Our state is statistically the capital of maintenance, repair and overhaul work happening worldwide. Women in Oklahoma continue to work diligently every day in aircraft maintenance and other fields to keep America flying.” The iconic "Rosie the Riveter" poster symbolizes the significant contributions of women during wartime. The real-life inspiration for this image was Naomi Parker Fraley, who was born in Tulsa on Aug. 26, 1921. During World War II, she worked in aircraft assembly at the Naval Air Station in Alameda, California. A photographer captured an image of Fraley operating a turret lathe while wearing a red and white polka-dot bandana. This photograph became the inspiration for the "Rosie the Riveter" poster. Delora Simpkins Mealor served as a military plane riveter who worked on B-17 and B-25 military planes. Inez Vitato Fuchs played an important role in the war effort at Douglas Aircraft Company Inc. in Midwest City, Oklahoma, in the Heat Treating Department, where her responsibilities included stenography, typing and filing, as well as timing the movement of steel and aluminum airplane parts from the heat-treating process to the cooling process. Both women were recognized as part of the Rosie the Riveter Day ceremonies in both the Senate and House chambers during proceedings on March 13, 2025.
