Jerry Paul honored for his work in creating monument to America's first female Marine

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A military helicopter buzzed over the Howard County Veterans’ Memorial site on Nov. 11, banking so that its occupants could view the 100 or so veterans and civilians who had gathered to commemorate the day. Those occupants were noteworthy, as the crowd soon would discover.

Among them was Lt. General Carol Mutter, the first female three-star general in the U.S. military. She visited Kokomo to commemorate the installment of a memorial to Opha Mae Johnson, the first female U.S. Marine and a former resident of Kokomo.

And then there was Jerry Paul. The helicopter ride was familiar to him. During the Vietnam War, he regularly made trips in a Bell UH-1 “Huey” as crew chief of a MediVac unit from 1970-71. He made his latest journey not to save lives in a combat zone, but to celebrate the unveiling of the monument, which exists due to his efforts.

Paul, the president of the Howard County Veterans Memorial Corp., has been the driving force behind many of Kokomo’s various military veteran monuments, from the military women’s monument on the grounds of the Howard County Courthouse to the Blue Star/Gold Star family monument in the memorial park along Goyer Road.

Short of rolling out a red carpet, there was no way for Paul to make a more significant or memorable entrance for his latest accomplishment with the Opha Mae Johnson memorial.

Once settled into his place on the memorial with a line-up of guest speakers, Paul listened as Mayor Tyler Moore credited him for his efforts.

“It is so wonderful to have this incredible monument, this memorial to honor Opha Mae Johnson here in this complex,” said Moore. “It is another vision that Jerry had and brought to the City of Kokomo.

“The persistence that Jerry has had in bringing honor, not only to veterans, but to female veterans in our community, is unmatched and unprecedented, really, across the country.”

The ceremony then turned to Johnson, who holds a special place in American history as the first female U.S. Marine. Local attorney Blake Dahl, a member of the memorial corporation, introduced Johnson to the crowd.

Opha Mae Johnson was born on May 4, 1878, in Kokomo. She relocated with her family to Washington, D.C., at the age of 10. She graduated from the shorthand and typewriting department of Woods Commercial College as salutatorian of her class in 1895, and in 1898 she married Victor Hugo Johnson, an impresario and musical director.

On Aug. 13, 1918, Johnson became the first female to enlist in the United States Marine Corps at age 39. One month later, she was promoted to sergeant, becoming the highest-ranking woman in the Corps.

“Many other women followed Johnson's lead during World War One and afterward,” said Dahl. “She set the stage for women to enlist before the 19th Amendment was passed. (Giving women the right to vote.) Her trailblazing role inspired women to fortify wartime efforts and get involved.”

Kay Ross, president of the Indiana One chapter of the Women Marines Association, was present to honor Johnson. She explained that her group discovered Johnson's grave went unmarked from the time of her interment until 2018. The association raised funds to install a proper grave marker.

"It is special that she's now being recognized with this monument that is being dedicated here today at the place of her birth,” said Ross. “I hope that this monument brings about some conversation within families. Maybe it will be an indicator to little girls somewhere that, yes, they can grow up to be an Army soldier. They can be a Marine. They can serve in the Air Force. We can do anything that we put our mind to.”

Lt. General Mutter delivered the keynote address at the ceremony, honoring Johnson and her contribution to gender equality in the military.

“Every female Marine learns early on about Opha Mae,” said Mutter. “But I had no idea she was born here in Kokomo until I was contacted eight years ago asking me to speak.”

Mutter pointed out that Johnson served at a time when only six percent of married women worked outside the home and that most women still didn't have the right to vote.

“Her enlistment was a reflection of the direct, dramatic changes in the status of women, brought about by World War One, to include the right to vote, which could no longer be denied,” said Mutter. “She created a stepping stone to more and more opportunities that have opened up for women in the military ever since.”

The Opha Mae Johnson Memorial is located in the Howard County Veterans Memorial Park, 548 S. Goyer Road.