Honoring Rosie the Riveter Erlinda Avila on Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
This December Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day has us pause, look back, and acknowledge the courage and sacrifice that shaped our country. At Element IV Therapy, we hold deep respect for the women and men whose grit carried the nation through World War II. One of those heroes is Arizona’s own Erlinda Gallegos Avila, a real Rosie the Riveter whose story still inspires generations.
From 1943 to 1946, Erlinda Gallegos Ávila worked as a rivet “bucker,” assisting with the installation of thousands of rivets necessary to build aircraft wings for military planes. She traveled 21 miles daily to her job due to limited transportation options, embodying the “We Can Do It” spirit associated with the Rosie the Riveter icon
Erlinda was only when she stepped into the defense plants. She worked as a riveter, crawling deep inside the wings because she was small enough to fit where others couldn’t. It wasn’t easy work. It was demanding, physical, and relentless. But she showed up every day with determination.
Her motivation came from family. When her brother was drafted and sent to Japan, Erlinda walked straight into an Army recruiter’s office and tried to enlist. She was turned away simply because she was a girl. She didn’t let that stop her. Instead, she found another way to serve.
“There must be something I can do.”
That mindset changed her life and helped strengthen the nation’s war effort. She joined the women building America’s aircraft and, in her own words, found a sense of freedom. Members of her Navajo community couldn’t even vote at the time, but Erlinda was already breaking barriers.
Now, at 101 years of age, her message to young women is clear and steady:
Don’t ever give up. You can do it. Believe in yourselves.
At Element IV Therapy, we’re proud to honor Erlinda Avila and all the Rosies whose strength powered a nation. Their spirit of service echoes far beyond the walls of wartime factories. It lives on in every person who chooses to help, to lead, or to lift up their community.
This December we remember, and we give thanks.
At Element IV Therapy, we’re inspired by stories like Erlinda’s. Resilience is at the core of wellness, and we’re proud to recognize those who lived it long before we had words for it.
If you’d like to learn more about how we support wellness across Arizona, visit our services page or explore our locations across the Valley.
External Links
National WWII Museum Rosie the Riveter History
https://www.nationalww2museum.org
Pearl Harbor National Memorial
https://www.nps.gov/valr/index.htm
