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Posted on Jul 3, 2021
An Independent Spirit Guided Her Through World War II — And Beyond
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https://www.npr.org/2021/07/03/ [login to see] /an-independent-spirit-guided-her-through-world-war-ii-and-beyond
When World War II started, Connie Doria Rocha was 16 and living with her mother and siblings in San Antonio.
Not long after, she found a way to join the war effort as a mechanic for the military.
It all started with an Uncle Sam sign that she'd seen at what was then known as Kelly Air Field in San Antonio. She was working there in the sheet metal department, helping her family financially instead of going to school. Rocha remembered that the signs were everywhere on base and said "Uncle Sam needs you." She'd heard that the military was accepting transfers to far-away bases.
When World War II started, Connie Doria Rocha was 16 and living with her mother and siblings in San Antonio.
Not long after, she found a way to join the war effort as a mechanic for the military.
It all started with an Uncle Sam sign that she'd seen at what was then known as Kelly Air Field in San Antonio. She was working there in the sheet metal department, helping her family financially instead of going to school. Rocha remembered that the signs were everywhere on base and said "Uncle Sam needs you." She'd heard that the military was accepting transfers to far-away bases.
An Independent Spirit Guided Her Through World War II — And Beyond
Posted from npr.orgPosted in these groups: 
Stories
WWII World War Two
San Antonio
Hawaii
Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam
Stories WWII World War Two San Antonio Hawaii Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam
Posted 3 y ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel In the beginning...
...."Those signs were part of a military recruitment campaign asking civilian technicians to volunteer to go to Hawaii — which was considered a war zone until 1944 — and Rocha answered the call. At the time, women were barred from combat.
But first, she asked her mother.
"I came home one day," she said, "and I said, 'Would you let me go?' Because, in the Hispanic home, a young girl did not leave home," Rocha said at StoryCorps in 2008. "But, she says, 'Do you want to be like me at age 22 with four kids?' I said, 'No.' Then she says, 'Ah, well, then get the heck out of here.' "....
...."Those signs were part of a military recruitment campaign asking civilian technicians to volunteer to go to Hawaii — which was considered a war zone until 1944 — and Rocha answered the call. At the time, women were barred from combat.
But first, she asked her mother.
"I came home one day," she said, "and I said, 'Would you let me go?' Because, in the Hispanic home, a young girl did not leave home," Rocha said at StoryCorps in 2008. "But, she says, 'Do you want to be like me at age 22 with four kids?' I said, 'No.' Then she says, 'Ah, well, then get the heck out of here.' "....
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