Half a century until Susan B Anthony championed the equality of the sexes and a small contingent of women met in Seneca Falls, NY to discuss issues like suffrage, the elite all-male military institution, finding itself short of administrative support, for the first time to let in women. There were still many restrictions: women could not serve in combat zones, and were limited to support roles: typically either clerical, or food preparation. Nevertheless, the first permanent inclusion of women into the Marine Corps was a step that advanced the women’s movement.

On this day, August 13, in 1918, Opha Mae Johnson became the first of 300 female recruits that joined the United States Marine Corps within the first year.

By 1967 women for the first time were allowed into combat zones, as USMC Master Sergeant Barbara Jean Dulinsky became first woman Marine to brave enemy fire in Vietnam. By that time some 2,700 women were already part of the Corps. Currently they make up around 6% of the force, and are deployed all over the world, war zones and all.