Opal Moore is a living legend. One of our country’s original “Rosies”, she helped make flares as a welder during World War II.
‘Rosie the Riveter’ Moore reminisces about working in factories during war time
POSTED: September 6, 2009
By BRETT DUNLAP
PARKERSBURG – During World War II, Opal Moore was one of many women who entered the work force to do many of the jobs essential to America’s war effort.
Photo by Brett Dunlap
The Parkersburg resident reminisced about her time as one of many women nationwide nicknamed “Rosie the Riveter” for the work they did in factories on the home front.
A number of groups have been working to collect the stories of these women to preserve the memory of what they have done.
“Thanks! Plain and Simple” is a veterans group in West Virginia that has been working to collect the stories of “Rosies” from around the state.
Moore, 87, worked as a welder helping to make flares for the U.S. Navy at the Ames shovel plant in Parkersburg in the 1940s. Having been born in Wirt County, Moore, the former Opal Wright, came to Parkersburg to find work.
