Who was the first woman to retire after 20 years of service in the Marines and was the third Black female Marine?

• A. Annie Grimes
• B. Lucille McClarren
• C. Anne Lentz
• D. Opha Mae Johnson

Answer: (A)

In Marine Corps history, recognizing long service and representation among early Black female Marines helps frame this question. Annie Grimes is identified in records as the first woman to retire after 20 years of service in the Marines, and she is noted as the third Black female Marine. That combination—reaching a 20-year retirement and being the third Black female Marine—matches the prompt precisely, which is why she is the best answer.

Opha Mae Johnson, by contrast, is known for being the first woman to enlist in the Marines, a foundational milestone rather than the 20-year retirement milestone. The other names are associated with different points in time or different distinctions that don’t align with the specific retirement and Black female Marine sequence described in the question.