HISTORY A Series of First

17 March 1947

Technical Sergeant Mary Frances Wancheck

black and white headshot of marine

Becomes the first Woman Marine to rate a “hash mark.” 

17 March 1947

8 September 1949

Sergeant Annie Graham

colorized photo of female marine wearing green uniform

First black women in the Marine Corps when she enlisted on Sept. 8, 1949.   

8 September 1949

13 June 1952

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Ruth Wood

photo of female marine wearing uniform with ribbon bar

First women in the Marine Corps to be promoted to Warrant Officer.   

13 June 1952

1953

Staff Sergeant Barbara Olive Barnwell

black and white photo of woman receiving a pin

First female Marine to be awarded the Navy and Marine Corps medal for heroism for saving a fellow Marine from drowning in the Atlantic Ocean in 1952.  

1953

1965

Chief Warrant Officer-3 Rose Franco

First Hispanic woman to become a chief warrant officer in the U.S. Marine Corps.   

1965

18 March 1967

Master Sergeant Barbara Jean Dulinsky

Becomes the first woman Marine to serve in a combat zone in Vietnam. She was assigned to U.S. Military Assistance Command Vietnam combat operations center in Saigon.

18 March 1967

18 March 1967

Major General Angela Salinas

Becomes the first Hispanic woman to become a brigadier general in the Marines.

18 March 1967