The Amazing True Story Of Julia Mattocks : A Real Life Rosie The Riveter

Julia Mattocks was born on Mother's Day, May 12, 1918 in a home on Duffield Avenue, Galesburg, Illinois. Her parents were Mary Jane and Harry Mattocks. She had an older brother, Harry, and a younger sister, Helen. As a student, Julia went to a one room schoolhouse on the corner of North and Pearl Street. She was a tomboy who loved to play tag, beanbags, baseball and basketball. After graduating from High School in 1936, she got a job sewing men's garments. When the war started in 1941, she heard that there was a need for workers to make bombs in Burlington, Iowa. On Mother's Day in 1942, Julia was interviewed and immediately put to work making dangerous bombs. Julia and one other lady very carefully handled mercury and powdered acid while making bombs. They carefully measured the powder for the bomb casings, and special rules were necessary while working with this volatile substance. No leather soles were allowed on their shoes. Instead, they had to wear composition shoes. A thick window was placed in front of these two women, as they had to look at the bomb and carefully place the powder around it while filling the bomb containers. She was paid $.80 per hour; she was able to make over 200 bombs every day. Her arms and eyes were seriously affected by the flammable vapors and powder. Many times, her arms were burned from her wrists to her elbows, and she was taken to the hospital. Because the Iowa medical community had not dealt with this type of burn, they were unsure how to treat her. They put calamine lotion on her burns and wrapped her arms. Each day her eyes would burn and her friend would place a cold pack over them. One day, there was a huge explosion. Julia found out that twelve women were taken to the hospital. Another lady had a bomb explode near Julia, and both of her arms were taken off. While Julia made these products, she prayed that the Lord would not allow the bombs to harm the dear children of Japan or Germany. She also asked the Lord to not allow an explosive bomb to take her hands or her arms. Because of this hazardous work, Julia could only stay in Burlington for six months. She wanted to help out in other ways so Julia and her sister, Helen, drove a new Studebaker to Los Angeles where they found work at the Lockheed Plant riveting on B-17's. Julia loved this type of work, but her sister decided to sew uniforms for the soldiers instead. Julia and her sister stayed in California for about seven months when they heard the bad news that their mother was ill. They had to go home and because of the rationing of gasoline at that time, Julia and her sister were given special gas stamps to return to Galesburg and care for their mother. She did her part for the war and today, at the age of 99, Julia still lives in the house on Duffield Avenue where she was born. Julia Mattocks is a proud American with a remarkable story to tell.

• | Author: A. Book A Book by Me, Caleb Oxley, Katherine Estrada
• | Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
• | Publication Date: Dec 09, 2017
• | Number of Pages: 24 pages
• | Language: English
• | Binding: Paperback
• | ISBN-10: 1981340890
• | ISBN-13: 9781981340897