Joy Steenson Reiten

Recognition of Meritorious Service by the Women of World War II
1995 AWARDEE

After graduating from high school in Hillsboro, ND, Joy Reitan went into defense training at the Rock Island, Illinois arsenal, manufacturing rifles for the war. In early 1943 she volunteered for the U.S. Navy Waves. After boot camp at Hunter College in New York City and training as an airplane mechanic at Norman, Oklahoma, she was assigned to the U.S. Navy Air Station in San Diego, where she served as a mechanic repairing Navy military aircraft until her discharge from service. Joy Reitan (Mrs. Chester) accepted recognition on behalf of all women who served in WWII. Joy Reitan is a gold star sister as her brother, Staff Sergeant Chester Steenson was killed in the invasion of Anzio, Italy in 1944.