99-Year-Old Ruth Wilson Honored For Efforts During World War II At Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A member of the Greatest Generation was honored Wednesday for her efforts during World War II. Ninety-nine-year-old Ruth Wilson returned to Dry Dock 5 at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for the first time since the end of the war.
Wilson was one of 600,000 African-American "Rosie the Riveters."
Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, she became a sheet metal specialist at the Navy Yard, helping build the U.S.S. Valley Forge aircraft carrier.
"American women, most decidedly, but for all women, it opened doors because women didn't work then. they would've never thought of doing it until World War II. Today is like a homecoming, so excited to see. Everything is different, but I'm back at Dry Dock 5," she said.
Wilson was presented Wednesday with a framed photo of the Valley Forge, the ship she worked on so many years ago.
