Feisty Female Friday: Opha May Johnson

The FFF this week is Opha May Johnson.

Born Opha May Jacob, Opha was an American Marine reservist who was the first woman to enlist in the USMC when she joined the Marine Cos Reservein 1918.

Opha was born in IND, attended college, and worked for the Civil Service. When she enlisted in the Marine Corps at the age of 39, she was the first of 300 women who would serve in the Marine Corps Reserve (Female) during WWW1.  She was trained as a Marine ND served as a clerk, eventually being promoted to Sargeant, the highest-ranking woman in the Marines at that time. Her unit was deactivated in 1919, but she remained at Headquarters Marine Corps as a civilian worker.

Opha paved the way for women to return to the Corps in 1943 with the creation of the Marine Corps Women’s Reserve. More than 23,000 women would serve as officers and enlisted Marine reservists during World War II. In 1948, women became a permanent part of the Marine Corps and today approximately 10 percent of active-duty Marines are women.

The Women Marines Association raised funds to place a marker at Opa’s burial site in Rock Creek Cemetery celebrating 100 years of women in the marines. A Marine training center was also named after her and a monument honoring Opha is located in IN.

She was married to the musical director ant the Lafayette Square Opera House and had no children.

Opha will always be remembered for opening the doors for women wanting to serve in the military because she herself wanted to be “a part of something bigger than her own person.” She encouraged all women to follow their dreams no matter what others may say. Great words for feisty women everywhere from Opha.