Marine monument finds a home
Commissioners pledge additional funds for installation at Memorial Park
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Opha May Johnson didn’t travel much as the first female member of the U.S. Marine Corps. She was stationed as a secretary at Headquarters Marine Corps in Washington D.C. during her historic term of service.
Her proposed memorial, however, has been racking up the miles. From the courthouse to the Howard County Administration Center to an alley, the project has shuffled through downtown without satisfaction.
That all changed this week with the announcement that the Howard County Memorial Corp. (HCMC) will install the Opha May Johnson monument in Howard County Veterans Memorial Park, 600 S. Goyer Road. According to a release from the HCMC, the decision was made after “extensive deliberation” with Howard County and the City of Kokomo.
Both governmental entities had previously pledged financial support for the memorial, but the Howard County Board of Commissioners earmarked an additional $5,000 to aid in the construction after meeting with corporation officials over the past two weeks.
“We have decided that in order to maintain the artistic integrity, scale, scope, and original intent of the Opha May Johnson monument, the Veterans Park will be the best location for the project at this time,” stated HCMC President Jerry Paul.
The decision to move out of downtown came rapidly after the county expressed little interest in playing host to the monument. At the commissioners’ Feb. 19 meeting, board president Jack Dodd invited criticism by suggesting the memorial be placed adjacent to “Artists Alley” behind the county administration center.
When that option met immediate resistance, Dodd further suggested an “offline” meeting with the HCMC to resolve the matter. Two weeks later, the project is headed east to Veterans Memorial Park. HCMC vice-president Blake Dahl addressed the commissioners at their meeting on March 4 to thank the board for their cooperation and generosity.
“We want to say thank you to the commissioners and Howard County for your amazing support and your contribution and your patience with us,” said Dahl. “I know it's been a process for this monument. We've been up and down with different locations. But we finally decided on one, and we're going to be able to honor Opha May Johnson, making an attraction for people to come to Howard County.
“But, especially, from one veteran to another, Jack, we wanted to thank you for meeting with us one-on-one to discuss the different options we might have here in Howard County and pledging to help find us an additional $5,000 to help offset the cost.”
The HCMC has raised $100,000 for the monument’s completion, including grants from the Community Foundation of Howard County, CreatINg Places, and IHCDA, local government donations, and individual contributions.
“Howard County Memorial Corp. is incredibly thankful for the overwhelming support of several individuals, organizations, and our local government for this project,” emphasized Paul.
Johnson was born on May 4, 1878, in Kokomo. In 1918, she enlisted as America’s first female Marine Corps Reservist at the age of 39. She served at Headquarters Marine Corps in Washington D.C. where she achieved the rank of sergeant during her time in service. The Marine training center at Grissom Air Reserve Base was renamed in her honor in 2022.
The monument is slated to be completed by late summer 2024, memorializing Johnson’s contribution to the United States Marine Corps, Howard County, and the City of Kokomo.