2015 marks the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII. From Pearl Harbor until the end of the war contributions to the war effort came from all US citizens by soldiers and civilians alike. Civilians collected vital raw materials like metal and paper, rationed food and fuel, and worked in factories producing the needed products to conduct the war. Enticed by advertisements and appeals, women worked in factories in numbers not seen before. Collectively known as Rosie the Riveters, they took jobs previously performed by men.
One woman who answered the call for non-traditional workers was Elaine Gurney Nelson. Elaine was the youngest of seven children, two of whom were in military service. Now a 90 year old widow living in Clarkfield, MN, Elaine was 19 years old when she applied for work as a riveter. In 1944 she left New Jersey with her future sister-in law to travel by train to California where her brother lived. She left an admittedly good job at the Esterbrook Pen Factory. Was it an adventurous spirit, post-depression-era realism, or a childhood of many moves that sent her across country to an unknown future? Or was it luck?
They arrived in Santa Monica, California and stayed together until her friend and her brother married. Elaine found a room for $9.00 a month and applied for work in a small airplane factory called California Fliers. This factory was on the same street as the Douglas Aircraft factory in El Sagundo and likely was a sub-contracting company. California Flyers made wings for the B 17 which by then was being manufactured by a consortium of companies referred to as BVD (Boeing, Vega and Douglas).
Elaine remembers working as a riveter the entire time of her employment – about a year and a half. She had a “bucker” who worked inside the wing – the trailing edge of the wing. As Elaine would drive in the rivet, her partner would “buck” it, ensuring it didn’t drive completely through the wing and create a hole. “I don’t remember how we knew where to drive the rivet, but one time I missed the mark. A hole was created in the wing and the foreman came running over and berated me. They had to patch the wing. I was not fired, however, and I never made that mistake again.”
Elaine had a toolbox containing her riveting tool and other tools needed to do the job. She always liked to work with tools and kept a toolbox the rest of her life.
Elaine met her husband, Nefton (Nip) Nelson at the factory. He worked in maintenance and was introduced to her by another maintenance man who drove her to work every day. Due to childhood rheumatic fever, Nip was underweight and therefore ineligible for active duty. He went to California from Minnesota to seek work and contribute to the war effort in a production factory. Their first date was dancing on the Santa Monica pier. Elaine found out right away that Nip was not a dancer. But he liked music and didn’t drink and they were married in April 1945.
Elaine remembers small dolls that were sold at the lunch counter at the factory. They were jointed and moved downhill when placed on a slope. She always wanted one of those dolls but couldn’t afford one at the time. This sparked her interest in dolls which she later collected.
After the war, Elaine and Nip moved to Clarkfield, MN where their first home was a converted chicken coop. Nip divided it into rooms and put up sheet rock. They had no running water, indoor plumbing or gas stove. But none of this deterred Elaine who was happy to be there with her husband and make a life for themselves.
Elaine has had a satisfying life which she describes as “lucky”. She was lucky to have been treated well all her life, to have met and married her beloved Nip, had three wonderful sons who have each had successful and happy lives and to have been able to pursue many interests, notably art and love of nature and birds.
Elaine Nelson does not consider her time as a riveter to be exceptional. She came from ordinary circumstances during a difficult economic period in our country’s history. Her father worked on the docks in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and was laid off during slow periods. They moved often, going where the opportunities were. Her father died young (mid 50’s) before Elaine left high school. She and two siblings didn’t finish high school until years later. The family made adjustments to these events and perhaps learned self sufficiency, adaptation and resilience as a result.
Respectfully submitted,
Helen Sullinger,
Minnesota State Director, American Rosie the Riveter Association (ARRA)