Sparks flew and history was made on May 28, 1943, as thousands of spectators crowded the grounds of Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula to witness a one-of-a-kind event: the first-ever national women’s welding championship. Amid the flash of news cameras from all over the country, Vera Anderson of Sumrall, Mississippi, etched her name into wartime legend.
Anderson, a welder at Ingalls since 1941, had quickly risen through the ranks as one of the shipyard’s most precise and efficient workers. In an era when productivity was paramount, welders were paid by the foot of steel they completed—and Vera’s unmatched speed and attention to detail often earned her more than $100 a week, a staggering sum for a woman worker in wartime America.
Earlier that year, Anderson claimed victory in a local women’s welding contest, earning her the title of Women’s Gulf Coast Welding Champion. Her triumph soon caught national attention, drawing the eye of Kaiser Shipbuilding in Vancouver, Oregon. Kaiser’s own standout, Hermina Strminska—reigning women’s champion of the West Coast—had been dazzling the Pacific yards with her skill. A challenge was issued: a face-off between East and West to determine who was truly the finest female welder in America.
The highly anticipated contest was held at Ingalls under sunny skies and a festive atmosphere. Flags waved, crowds cheered, and school marching bands filled the air with patriotic tunes. Hermina Strminska arrived with her personal welding machine and engineer in tow, ready for battle. But the hometown favorite, clad in her work gear and quiet confidence, was undeterred.
The rules were clear: weld faster, weld better. Judges closely scrutinized both speed and quality of workmanship. As the competition unfolded, Anderson quickly pulled ahead, her torch moving with steady grace and practiced accuracy. When the final welds were laid, it was clear—Vera Anderson had not only finished her task faster but had also delivered cleaner, more structurally sound welds.
The judges were unanimous. The crowd erupted. Vera Anderson was declared the winner, cementing her status as the national women’s welding champion. Reporters from across the country filed stories of the patriotic spectacle, highlighting the skill, grit, and determination of America’s women workers.
Though her title would eventually be challenged again—this time by a contender from Moore Dry Dock & Shipbuilding in Oakland, California—Vera’s triumph in Pascagoula stood as a shining example of female excellence on the home front.
A second showdown to crown the nation’s top female welder was staged at Ingalls Shipbuilding on January 29, 1944. This time, the challenger came from the West Coast once again—Edna Slocum, a skilled welder representing Moore Shipbuilding out of Oakland, California. With confidence and pride riding high, Slocum arrived determined to dethrone the reigning champion. But Pascagoula belonged to Vera Anderson.
As the crowd gathered once more, the clang of steel and the hiss of welding torches filled the shipyard air. Just like in her first title match, Anderson worked with a quiet intensity—measured, deliberate, and masterful. Slocum gave a strong effort, but in the end, it wasn’t enough. Vera’s speed and precision once again set her apart. The judges, impressed by her clean lines and structural perfection, awarded her a unanimous victory.
With her second national triumph, Vera Anderson became a two-time National Women’s Welding Champion—an honor no other woman would ever claim. No further challenges came. Her reputation was so formidable, so well-earned, that no one dared attempt a third contest. Her torch, it seemed, had silenced the competition for good.
Vera was touted as, “The pretty blue eyed welder” by newspapers, magazines, and in welding advertisements. She won $350 in war bonds, a silver cup, and a trip to the White House to have tea with Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt.
In the latter part of her time at Ingalls, Vera turned her focus to teaching. As a welding instructor, she trained new recruits, many of them women eager to do their part in the war effort. In the shipyard’s sparks and steel, something unexpected happened—she met her future husband, a fellow worker drawn to her strength, skill, and steady determination.
For Vera Anderson, the shipyard had offered more than a job—it had given her purpose, pride, and a love forged in the fire of wartime industry. Eighty-two years later, her story remains a powerful reminder of the vital role women played in America’s wartime workforce. Vera Anderson wasn’t just welding ships—she was welding history.
(Special Thanks to the Mississippi Armed Forces Museum at Camp Shelby. They have an excellent history display on the Welding Championship)
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