CELEBRATING THE 100TH BIRTHDAY OF CONNIE PALACIOZ

CELEBRATING THE 100TH BIRTHDAY OF CONNIE PALACIOZ

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 9 (Thursday, January 16, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 9 (Thursday, January 16, 2025)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E45] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] CELEBRATING THE 100TH BIRTHDAY OF CONNIE PALACIOZ ______ HON. RON ESTES of kansas in the house of representatives Thursday, January 16, 2025 Mr. ESTES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 100th birthday of Connie Palacioz, an American patriot and Wichita's very own ``Rosie the Riveter.'' Shortly after graduating high school in 1943, Connie volunteered to support our nation during World War II. Several family members were serving in the military, and she felt it was her duty as an American to contribute to the war effort as well. Connie left her job as a laundress and joined Boeing's B-29 Superfortress assembly line in Wichita, Kansas. Starting at 50 cents an hour, she eventually doubled her wage, a testament to her hard work and dedication. In her role, she supported the production of the nose sections for the aircraft, manufacturing four sections each day. With the help of her partner, Jerri Warden, Connie contributed to the assembly of 1,644 B-29 bombers throughout the war, including one nicknamed ``Doc.'' In 2000, Connie was reunited with ``Doc,'' which had been recovered from the Mojave Desert after decades of exposure to the elements. Remarkably, one of the pieces of the plane found in excellent condition was the nose section that Connie helped build nearly 60 years prior. Connie became a vital part of the restoration team, volunteering three days a week for sixteen years until the aircraft was fully restored, taking to the sky again in 2016. At the age of 97, Connie was honored as the inaugural member of the Kansas Women's Hall of Fame in Aviation. Today, I would like to once again honor her for a lifetime of service to our country. I thank Connie. ____________________