The Shaw Local News State
Of the 16.1 million Americans who served in World War II, about 972,000 were from Illinois.
Not all were men.
More than 13,500 Illinois women served in the military, filling a variety of unsung – although critical – roles in all branches of service.
The war’s outbreak and the resulting manpower shortage opened unprecedented opportunities for women. In 1940, 854,000 Illinois women were in the workforce. By 1944, that number had surged to 2 million. Many took over jobs left vacant by men who had gone to fight, while others worked in roles supporting the war effort.
One example was the Sangamon Ordnance Plant in Illiopolis, located between Springfield and Decatur, where men and women were paid equally – a rarity at the time. The iconic image of Rosie the Riveter symbolizes this shift.
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