10 Amazing Vintage Images of Wartime Women at Work

Women at work

Remember Rosie the Riveter? The now iconic feminist symbol comes from a song titled "Rosie the Riveter" that came out in 1942, which depicted a woman working in an assembly line during World War II. While men went off to fight in the war, many women left behind the life of a housewife and took on crucial manufacturing jobs in factories and plants to aid in the war effort. And while Rosie has become an icon for feminism and women's employment over the years, these real photos of women hard at work in the 1940s are even more empowering today. In this image, Mrs. Irma Lee McElroy paints the American insignia on airplane wings at the Naval Air Base in Corpus Christi, Texas in August, 1942.

Checking the parts

An aircraft worker at the Vega Aircraft Corporation in Burbank California checks electrical assemblies in June, 1942.

Ms. Davis

At the Naval Air Base in Corpus Christi, Texas, Mrs. Virginia Davis trains to take over her husband's job in case he's called to work by the armed service in August, 1942.

Working hard

In December, 1941, a woman works at the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. in Akron, Ohio, manufacturing self-sealing gas tanks.

Using that elbow grease

A woman assembles a section of the leading edge for the horizontal stabilizer of a plane at North American Aviation, Inc. in Inglewood, California in October, 1942.

Working on the planes

In October, 1942, a woman works as a shop technician at the Douglas Aircraft Company plant in Long Beach, California.

Helping in her way

A woman finishes up the bombardier nose section of a B-17F navy bomber at the Douglas Aircraft Company plant in October, 1942.

Installing an engine

A woman is trained to work on an engine installation at the Douglas Aircraft Company plant in October, 1942.

Drilling

At the Consolidated Aircraft Corporation plant in Fort Worth, Texas, a woman drills a wing bulkhead for a transport plane in October, 1942.

Running the big machines

In October, 1942, a woman prepares metal parts to go through a multi-ton hydropress at North American Aviation, Inc.

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Brittney Morgan: Brittney Q. Morgan is a Brooklyn-based writer and editor, as well as a graduate of Drew University, where she majored in History. Along with writing for Business News Daily, her work can be found all across the web at Apartment Therapy, HuffPost, and more. You can find her on Twitter at @brittneyplz.