Kaminski, Rose, 1992 March 9, Milwaukee, Wisconsin:
Recorded interview and transcript available online.: Rose (Gudynowski) Kaminski was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on October 28, 1918. She spent her first ten years in Kenosha and then moved to Milwaukee, where she has lived since 1928. Both of her parents were born in Poland, and she has one brother and three sisters. She was graduated from South Division High School in Milwaukee, and is a member of St. Florian Catholic Church. In 1937, she married John Kaminski. She is the mother of two daughters, one born before World War II, in 1941, and the second born after the war, in 1948. Her husband was drafted in early 1944, leaving her home alone with their small daughter. He graduated from boot camp in April, 1944, and was trained as a mine sweeper for the Navy. Prior to her husband leaving for the military, Mrs. Kaminski worked in the machine shop of the General Electric supercharger plant. In 1943, she began work as a crane operator for Rex Chain Belt Company for about six to eight months, during which time her husband entered the military. She began working for Harnischfeger in February, 1944, and remained there as a crane operator until March, 1946, when she was eventually released from her job to accommodate a returning veteran. After the birth of her second daughter, she returned to work in 1950 and was employed by the Harnischfeger Company until she retired in February, 1981, after 31 years with the company. She and her family lived on 38th Street in Milwaukee for most of those years, within walking distance of Harnischfeger. Mrs. Kaminski also served as a Girl Scout troop leader for 21 years. Her husband died in November, 1988.
In the interview, Rose Kaminski talks about her early impressions of the U.S. involvement in World War II, including her husband being sent to Great Lakes Naval Training Center. She outlines her job experience at the supercharger plant and her first job as a crane operator at Rex Chain Belt Company. She also explains her child-care arrangements for her young daughter. Mrs. Kaminski then tells of her move to Harnischfeger, where she also worked as a crane operator. She talks about the difficulty of the job and the working conditions.
After her husband left for the service, Mrs. Kaminski tells about spending the weekends with her mother in Milwaukee, traveling by bus to get there. Rose was a member of the union at Harnischfeger, and she talks about her union activities and Harnischfeger's hiring practices. She also discusses shortages, rationing, obtaining leftover food from work, pooling rationing stamps, and the local grocer. She further tells of upbringing and mother's urging not to judge people by nationality, religion, or skin color.
Her husband was injured on a practice mission while still in the states. Mrs. Kaminski explains how she was notified, her trip by train to New York to see her injured husband, and the conditions in the hospital. She also tells about her celebrations on V-J Day, including a bar called “Dirty Helen's.” She continues by telling about her postwar experiences, including leaving her job, later returning to work, and working as a Girl Scout troop leader. She also talks about her independence as woman and having to perform tasks normally done by men, both in and out of the home.
