Juanita Eggers was still in high school when the Japanese bombed the United States naval yard at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Her aunt and uncle were stationed on the island when the attack occurred, and no one was sure if they were safe. Her family spent a fraught 20 hours listening to radio broadcasts, hoping for good news.
While her family members were unharmed, this was the first time World War II directly impacted Eggers life. The second was when she became a real-life âRosie the Riveter.â On Thursday, Eggers was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of her service during an afternoon ceremony at Brookdale Senior Living in Albany.