As the United States commemorates the 82nd anniversary of D-Day this Saturday, a gathering in New Orleans brought together a remarkable group of women whose wartime contributions were pivotal in sustaining the Allied forces. This event served as a poignant tribute to a generation that is gradually fading from our midst.

Over 30 surviving “Rosie the Riveters” convened at The National WWII Museum in New Orleans, where they were celebrated for their vital roles in the wartime industrial push that supported the Allies during World War II.

The museum’s website poignantly notes, “Every day, memories of World War II — its sights and sounds, its terrors and triumphs — disappear.” This underscores the importance of honoring these women and preserving their stories.

During the Museum’s annual Dr. Hal Baumgarten D-Day Commemoration, these women were acknowledged with the 2026 American Spirit Award, the institution’s most prestigious accolade, recognizing their extraordinary contributions to the war effort.

The National WWII Museum is seen in New Orleans. The museum hosted its annual D-Day commemoration and honored more than 30 surviving “Rosie the Riveters” during events marking the 82nd anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy. (Courtesy of The National WWII Museum)

According to the museum, the award recognizes individuals and organizations who “exemplify the outstanding qualities of the American spirit and inspire these values in others.”

This year’s recipients included more than 30 women wartime workers popularly known as “Rosie the Riveters,” acclaimed composer John Williams and former New Orleans Saints player and ALS advocate Steve Gleason.

The gathering came as Americans marked the anniversary of Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied France on June 6, 1944.

“Rosies” pose in front of the Statue of Freedom in Emancipation Hall at the U.S. Capitol before a Congressional Gold Medal ceremony on April 10, 2024, in Washington, D.C. Over two dozen women traveled from across the country to receive the medal for their World War II wartime efforts in factories and shipyards. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

According to the Museum, more than 150,000 troops participated in the invasion, one of the largest amphibious military operations in history and a pivotal step toward the liberation of Western Europe.

While the men who landed on the beaches of Normandy are remembered each year, Museum officials said the women on the home front played an essential role in making Allied victory possible.

During World War II, millions of women entered the workforce as labor shortages transformed factories, shipyards and defense industries across the U.S.

A Higgins boat is displayed inside The National WWII Museum in New Orleans. Landing craft like these were used extensively during the Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944. (Courtesy of The National WWII Museum)

“As men left for military service, labor shortages in defense-related industries created unprecedented opportunities for women, many of whom were entering the workforce for the very first time,” the museum said.

The women learned technical skills including welding, riveting, aircraft assembly and munitions manufacturing while helping produce equipment and supplies needed by Allied forces.

Among those honored was Delphine Klaput, 101, who worked at the Glenn L. Martin Aircraft factory in Baltimore during the final years of the war.

More than two dozen “Rosie the Riveters” hold their hands over their hearts during the National Anthem at a Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on April 10, 2024. They received the gold medal for their wartime efforts in factories and shipyards during World War II. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

According to NOLA.com, Klaput was entrusted with guarding aircraft blueprints while helping oversee teams building planes destined for the war effort.

The outlet reported that Klaput kept the blueprints close because “there was a war on, after all.”

Klaput told NOLA.com she still remembers walking through the sprawling aircraft factory after growing up in a Pennsylvania coal-mining town and asking herself, “What did I get myself into?”

Francesca Masters, 104, worked on B-24 Liberator bombers at Michigan’s Willow Run plant and told NOLA.com she earned $1 an hour while sending much of her paycheck home to support her family.

Her brother, Salvatore, was later killed in the Battle of the Bulge.

“It was our duty,” Masters told the newspaper.

Sylvia Tania and Delphine Klaus hold hands before the Congressional Gold Medal ceremony honoring “Rosie the Riveter” women at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on April 10, 2024. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Masters said she operated heavy machinery at the bomber plant and felt proud to be doing what had long been considered a man’s job. She recalled the scale of the operation at Willow Run, built by the Ford Motor Company and considered the largest war factory in the world during World War II.

“They truly didn’t think they had done anything special,” Lisa Brown, daughter of Rosie the Riveter Virginia Rusch, told NOLA.com.

Rusch said she always wanted to work and dropped out of school because she wanted to contribute. From 1942 to 1944, she soldered airplane parts on an assembly line, repeating the process day after day as Allied forces battled overseas.

The National WWII Museum said the legacy of the “Rosies” extends far beyond wartime production.

Through their work, the women “reshaped women’s place in American society and continue to inspire women and girls around the world today.”

As the ceremony drew to a close, Klaput reflected on the bond shared by the shrinking number of surviving Rosies.

“No matter where you go, if there’s a ‘Rosie,’ you’re gonna see this,” she said before reaching for the hands of fellow honorees.

Then she repeated the phrase that became synonymous with the women who helped sustain America’s wartime production effort.

“We can do it.”

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A shooting incident near a historic festival in Ohio has resulted in multiple casualties, triggering a significant emergency response and causing festival-goers to flee for safety.

Authorities from Toledo and Lucas County, along with several medical teams, rushed to the scene of the Old West End Festival shortly after 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. The police received reports of a shooting near the intersection of Delaware Avenue and Glenwood Avenue.

Upon reaching the location, officers found several individuals had been shot. Many of the victims were quickly transported to local hospitals for medical care.

Eyewitness Kevin Berry shared with the Daily Mail that he saw five or six people who were hit, including one with a graze wound and another who was shot in the head.

“Everybody hit the deck,” Berry recounted.

He described seeing an elderly woman fall to the ground, who he believed appeared to be experiencing heart attack symptoms during the commotion. 

Berry, a Navy veteran with medical training, said he heard up to eight gunshots and saw a gun drop, but did not see the shooter, who he believed fled on foot. 

‘The Toledo Police Department is actively searching for the suspect or suspects involved,’ authorities said in a news release.

A shooting near Old West End Festival in Ohio sparked a massive emergency response on Saturday

Witness Kevin Berry told the Daily Mail he personally observed at least five or six victims being struck by gunfire

A witness on Facebook wrote: ‘People were bleeding. EMTs were called’

Berry said the shooting appeared to come out of nowhere, with the first gunshots heard while the band was still playing. He also shared that it appeared to be entirely random, with no clear target or intent. 

He said he ran around attempting to flag down officers for those who had been struck by gunfire, adding that police reached the scene ‘quickly.’

Videos shared on social media showed chaos as people ran from the scene, with injured victims seen walking in bloodied clothes and others taken away on stretchers. 

Tony Toledo, a Defiance, Ohio resident, shared a chilling Facebook post saying he attended the Old West End Festival to relive his college days when shots were fired just 30 feet away from him. 

‘I was eating ribs. Dropped the ribs. Every person at the park stopped to the ground. I am ok,’ Toledo wrote.

‘Unknown to me the shooter ran past me ten feet way. He dropped his gun on ground ten feet from me,’ he added. ‘Another attendee was standing over the gun screaming for the police to get it. Cops got it immediately.’

‘People were bleeding. EMTs were called,’ Toledo wrote, adding that he learned two people had died, though that detail has not yet been confirmed by police.

‘There was a cop waving an automatic rifle screaming for us to leave the park,’ he said. ‘He didn’t need to tell me twice.’ 

Police stand near where multiple people were shot at a community festival Saturday

Witness Berry said he heard up to eight gunshots and saw a gun drop, but did not see the shooter, who he believed fled on foot 

Witness Berry said the shooting appeared to come out of nowhere, with the first gunshots heard while the band was still playing

The multi-agency response includes Toledo police, Lucas County Sheriff’s deputies, Ohio State Highway Patrol and Toledo Fire and Rescue

Videos shared on social media showed chaos as people ran from the scene, with injured victims seen walking in bloodied clothes and others taken away on stretchers

WDIV reporter Kyla Russell reported that 12 people had been injured and two of them were critical. She said the oldest victim is 61 and youngest is 14.

‘It came after two people began shooting at each other. Police are looking for both and ask for any info from the community,’ Russell wrote on X. 

However, the severity of any injuries, as well as the ages and identities of the victims, remain unknown. 

Police have since closed Detroit Avenue near West Delaware Avenue.

The multi-agency response includes Toledo Police, Lucas County Sheriff’s deputies, Ohio State Highway Patrol and Toledo Fire and Rescue. 

‘The investigation currently includes scenes in the area of Delaware Avenue and Robinwood Avenue,’ Toledo Police Department said.

‘Residents and visitors are asked to avoid the area and expect a significant police presence as officers continue their search and investigators work to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident,’ they added.

In a statement to Facebook, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine wrote: ‘I am deeply concerned about the situation in Toledo tonight.’

‘Summer festivals should be safe spaces for families to spend time together without fear of violence,’ he added.

Witness Berry said police responded ‘quickly’ to the scene

Police cars block the road where the shooting took place. The incident sparked a huge emergency response 

In a news release, authorities said: ‘The Toledo Police Department is actively searching for the suspect or suspects involved’

Police from Toledo and Lucas County, along with multiple medical units, responded to the Old West End Festival just after 5.30pm Saturday. A file photo of the festival 

DeWine concluded his statement by saying he was ‘praying for everyone impacted by the incident at the Old West Festival’ and is ‘confident that law enforcement will locate the suspects involved in this senseless crime.’ 

Toledo was hosting its 53rd West End Festival, described as the ‘biggest party of the year’ celebrating ‘one of the largest historic districts in the country.’

Live music, dozens of food vendors, a beer garden, house tours and shopping kicked off with the King Wamba Carnival Parade on Saturday morning, opening the two-day event. 

The Toledo Police Department did not immediately respond for comment. 

Anyone with information can text or call Crime Stoppers at 419-255-1111. You can remain anonymous.