A true Rosie the Riveter

Elinor Otto, 98, known as the “Last Rosie the Riveter”, holds her original riveting gun at the Veterans Home of California-Chula Vista in Chula Vista. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)

By Hayne Palmour IV

San Diego Union-Tribune

Aug. 11, 2018 5:22 PM PT

Elinor Otto, 98, one of the original Rosie the Riveters, worked at Rohr Aircraft Corporation in Chula Vista during World War II and continued to build planes for 50 years, visits the Veterans Home of California-Chula Vista in Chula Vista on Saturday, August 11, 2018.

While holding her original riveting gun and a photo of herself at age 22, Elinor Otto, 98, known as the “Last Rosie the Riveter”, poses for pictures with Pin-ups for Vets. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)

A photo of Elinor Otto, known as the “Last Rosie the Riveter” when she was a single mother at age 22. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)

Elinor Otto, 98, known as the “Last Rosie the Riveter” gestures as she talks to vets about working at Rohr Aircraft Corporation in Chula Vista during World War II.

(Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)

Elinor Otto’s certificate for her war work during World War II. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)

Elinor Otto talks to World War II Air Force veteran John Banvard, age 100. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)

Elinor Otto’s first pay stubs from Rohr Aircraft Corporation in Chula Vista during World War II.

(Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)

Chula Vista Mayor Mary Casillas Salas looks at Elinor Otto’s original Rohr work badge. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)

Elinor Otto, 98, known as the “Last Rosie the Riveter” talks to vets about working at Rohr Aircraft Corporation in Chula Vista during World War II.

(Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)

Elinor Otto, 98, known as the “Last Rosie the Riveter”, talks with women with Pin-ups for Vets, female vets and active duty service members wearing 1940’s period clothing. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)

Hayne Palmour IV

Hayne Palmour IV has been working as a newspaper photographer in San Diego County since 1986. During that time he has covered most of the major news and sports events in San Diego County. In between 2003 and 2005 he went on three separate trips to cover the war in Iraq as an embedded journalist with Camp Pendleton Marines. In 2003 the North County Times published a book of Palmour’s photographs, along with text by reporter Darrin Mortenson, on the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq titled “A Thousand Miles to Baghdad.” Hayne has an associates degree in photography from Chowan College, in North Carolina and a BA in psychology from the University of North Carolina-Wilmington. He joined the U-T in 2012. Hayne lives in Encinitas.