Irene Miles was born in Little Falls, Minnesota and grew up during the Great Depression. In her interview, she describes growing up in Minnesota and South Dakota, including observations about language and religion. Once her family moved to Aberdeen, Irene took a series of challenging college level courses in the sciences. Irene wanted to become a nurse, but her mother’s health problems pushed her to entering the workforce before she could finish her schooling. Eventually, she moved with her mother to California. At first, they struggled to find work and housing in Oakland, but she eventually secured work as a tool-room operator at the Bethlehem Shipyards. Her interview describes how people interacted both at the shipyards and in Oakland and details on everyday work life like the “Share the Ride” program. She describes her work at the shipyard and an incident involving the War Manpower Commission.