Marie Odee Johnson

Marie Odee Johnson (July 23, 1897 – September 25, 2004) was an American who was one of the last surviving female veterans from the First World War. As a Yeoman (F), Johnson was among the first group of women to serve in the United States Navy in a non-nursing capacity.

Biography Marie Odee Johnson was born in Quincy, Illinois, but her family moved to Dallas, Texas, when she was an infant. She was serving as a secretary with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Dallas when the United States entered World War I. The Navy recruiting office was near her office and the men who worked there convinced her that she would have a better job in the Navy. She didn't tell her "single parent father" that she joined at first. Johnson was stationed in New York City and Washington, D. C. during the war. She was "the acknowledged 'queen bee' of the veterans' facility.