They overcame cultural stereotypes about what women could do. But as soon as World War II ended, they relinquished their jobs in the aircraft and defense factories and went back to being teachers and secretaries, students and homemakers.
Yesterday, four local women who were proud to have contributed to the war effort as aviation pioneers shared their stories at a Women's History Month event at Baltimore-Washington International Airport.
The program, "Aprons to Airplanes: Rosie the Riveter Does Double Duty During World War II," featured women who worked at defense plants such as Glenn L. Martin Aircraft Co. in Middle River and the General Motors aircraft factory in Baltimore.
Julie Yoder, who came from a small town in rural Pennsylvania, followed her boyfriend - whom she later married - to become an assembly-line worker in the Martin aircraft factory, where her first week's paycheck was $36.
"I can't tell you how hot it was in summer," she said of the working conditions. "There was camouflage over the roof, over the windows. It was just rough. You couldn't open the windows to get fresh air."
Yoder said Martin first hired women in October 1941, two months before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor drew the United States into World War II. Those women were so successful that by the end of 1941 - just three weeks after the attack - the company had hired 2,000 more.
"By the end of 1942 there were 13,000 of us," Yoder said.
Mary Nichols of Baltimore was a 14-year-old sophomore at Glen Burnie High School at the time of Pearl Harbor.
"I didn't really understand what was going on," she said, though she saw boys who were juniors and seniors enlisting as soon as they could.
The Martin aircraft plant was recruiting young women who took science and math in high school to become engineering draftspersons, after five months of training at the Johns Hopkins University, she said.
"I know that I'm a people person - being stuck all day at a drafting desk was not for me," Nichols said. "But I was glad to have the job."
At times, there was tension between the women, who were filling nontraditional roles, and their male co-workers.
Jean R. Meyers Levitas of Baltimore worked as a riveter assembler at General Motors aircraft factory on Broening Highway. She recalled an instance when a male co-worker seemed to feel he was competing with her.
