Letters: ‘Rosies’ among us

Re “At 93, this Rosie is still riveting,” Sept. 18

I was also a “Rosie the Riveter,” and I thank you for the superb article about this remarkable 93-year-old woman who is still building aircraft at Boeing’s Long Beach factory.

During World War II, I worked as a lead riveter for three years at the Lockheed plant on Santee Street in Los Angeles, building the ailerons for P-38s, a beautiful and powerful warplane that wreaked havoc on our enemy.

I am a member of the P-38 National Assn., and at the April air show in Chino, five of the planes did several flybys. It was a thrilling sight to see 70 years after I helped build those planes.

Hope Mendoza Schechter

Beverly Hills

The contrast of articles on the front page Wednesday was striking.

Next to a story on the Navy Yard gunman we read of Elinor Otto, an alert, happy factory worker, joyfully involved in her life and work. She has endured marriage, pregnancy, childbirth, motherhood, divorce, unemployment and aging, and yet this “Rosie” rises at 4 a.m. to work on the assembly line.

According to Mother Jones magazine, since 1982 there have been 62 mass shootings in the United States — and only one was perpetrated by a woman.

Perhaps it’s now time for macho males to be the riveters and for mothers and other more patient women to be our presidents, generals, wardens, coaches, priests and more.

John Holmstrom

Hollywood

What an inspiring story. It goes to show that if you like what you do, it’s possible to keep on doing it until the end or near the end.

It’s amazing that at 93, Otto still drives, not to mention that she drives to work. She also looks amazing.

What’s her recipe for longevity, besides staying busy?

Ercell H. Hoffman

Compton

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