According to legend, the first woman to join the Marine Corps was Lucy
Brewer, who disguise herself as a man and served aboard the U.S.S. Constitution
during the War of 1812.
The first woman officially documented in Marine records, however, was Orpha Johnson. After working as a civilian clerk at Marine Corp headquarters, she entered the Marine Corps reserve in 1918. During World War I, women were clerks, women freed thousands of male marine for overseas combat duty. At the end of the war, the women were transferred to inactive duty in Marine Corps Reserve units, and women did not resume an active role in the Marine Corps until World War II. During the Second World War, women were again asked to respond to the need for labor. Almost 20,000 women held positions in 200 specialties, including not only clerical and medical jobs but also technical and transportation services.
After the war, many women were retained in the reserves, and then, beginning in 1948, women were permitted to enlist as regulars in the Marine Corps. By 1985, Gail Reals completed for an achieved the grade of Brigadier General, becoming the first woman to be so promoted. Today, women can be found in every branch and occupation of the United States Marine Corps.
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