The Howard County Memorial Corporation is officially celebrating the unveiling and dedication of its monument for Opha May Johnson, America’s first female Marine, on Veterans Day, November 11, at 1 p.m. The ceremony will take place at the Howard County Veterans Memorial Park, located at 600 S. Goyer Road in Kokomo, Indiana.
To mark the occasion, retired U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant General Carol Mutter, notably the first female to be promoted to Lieutenant General in the United States Military, will bring remarks at the unveiling.
A female military trailblazer in her own right, Lt. General Mutter expressed her excitement to be present for this special dedication.
“We’re all very proud that our first female Marine is from Indiana—Kokomo,” said Mutter.
The long-awaited dedication of the project comes after extensive deliberation with both Howard County and the City of Kokomo regarding several proposed changes in location. The project was delayed when additional funds were needed for the project to help offset the cost of building at Veterans Memorial Park.
Since the beginning of the proposed project, HCMC President Jerry Paul and the Howard County Memorial Corporation Board raised well over $100,000 in funds for the monument’s completion. Support for the project includes a grant from the Community Foundation of Howard County, a matching grant from CreatINg Places and IHCDA, Indiana state and local government donations, as well as individual contributions.
Designed by Paul, the monument, currently being completed across from the existing Family Monument at Howard County Veterans Memorial Park, features three walls. Each wall contains a special feature, including a bronze relief portrait by sculptor Benjamin Victor, Johnson’s biography, and a Kokomo stained glass logo of the United States Marine Corps created by local artisan Linda Yoder.
“This is the most significant monument built to date for Opha May Johnson,” opined Paul. “It will forever memorialize Johnson’s contribution for future women of the United States Marine Corps, Howard County, and the City of Firsts.”
Opha May Johnson was born on May 4, 1878, in Kokomo, Indiana. In 1918, Johnson was enlisted as America’s first female Marine. Her grave was unmarked until 2018, when the Women Marines Association installed a permanent marker in Rock Creek Cemetery in Washington, D.C.
The Veterans Day monument dedication will be supported by local, regional, and national Marine Corps organizations, Veterans Affairs organizations, and donors.
For more information, visit the Howard County Memorial Corporation Facebook page or contact the organization via email at v.p.hocomemorial@gmail.com.