YPSILANTI, Mich. — The Save the Willow Run Bomber Plant campaign and its supporters broke the Rosie the Riveter Guinness World Record on Saturday, Oct. 24, at Willow Run Airport (KYIP).
For the event, each participant dressed as Rosie the Riveter — donning their rolled up blue coveralls, red socks, work boots, signature red handkerchiefs with white polka dots, and top-knot hairdos — careful to abide by Guinness’ strict costume requirements.
The goal was simple: Take back the record first obtained at Willow Run in 2014 with 776 Rosies that the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park in California had beaten earlier this year with 1,084 participants.
With 2,096 Rosies in attendance, Willow Run’s showing was more than enough to win back the record.
Participants included women and girls from 16 different states and Canada, as well as 44 “authentic Rosies” from World War II.
“It was inspiring to see thousands of people create a sea of Rosies,” said Carl Muhs, president of Avflight Corporation, which helped sponsor the effort. “To more than double the turnout from last year surpassed all expectations and made for an extraordinary event. We want to do everything we can to support the Willow Run Bomber Plant; its history is important to our nation, the airport and Avflight with two locations at KYIP.”
The Save the Willow Run Bomber Plant Campaign seeks to raise funds to preserve and renovate approximately 144,000 square feet of the 5 million-square-foot facility where many real Rosies worked. This space will become the Yankee Air Museum’s new home, housing historical aviation exhibits and programs.