Photo By Master Sgt. Reeba Critser | Lt. Gen. R. Steven Whitcomb, Third Army/U.S. Army Central commanding general, presents...... read more read more
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By Staff Sgt. Reeba Critser
Third Army/U.S. Army Central Public Affairs Office
ATLANTA, Ga. – Today, Lt. Gen. R. Steven Whitcomb, commanding general of Third Army/U.S. Army Central, and Georgia's Murray County is rolling out the red carpet for its most highly decorated World War II vet with the recognition he deserves. The residents of Murray County and Whitcomb met at the Murray County Courthouse in Chatsworth, Ga., to proclaim June 15 as Glenn Martin Day and recognize him for valor during World War II.
"I came here to honor a Soldier, a Third Army Soldier from 1944 who answered the call of his country," Whitcomb said. "It is appropriate that the City of Chatsworth honor the memory of Private Glenn Martin, one of your own, a hero, one of only 291 Soldiers of the Third Army during World War II to be awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, by declaring this day Glenn Martin Day."
Sixty-three years ago, while serving with Company C, 3rd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, Third Army, on June 8, 1944, near Chau De Fontenay, France, Pvt. Glenn Martin's company found themselves cut off from friendly forces by an infiltrating enemy.
According to Robert Babcock, a Vietnam veteran with the 22nd and author of "War Stories - Utah Beach to Pleiku," and Chaplain Bill Boice's "History for the 22nd Infantry Regiment in WWII," this attack took place two days after D-Day and Lt. John Ward, a forward observer, realized the only way to ward off the enemy was to call for artillery on his own position. After Ward notified his men, Martin, and a few others, elected to stay and fight. Shrapnel from the firefight hit the lieutenant and, ignoring the impeding dangers, Martin carried Ward to safety.
This act of selfless service earned Martin the Distinguished Service Cross, second only to the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest award for heroism.
"He likely didn't have any lofty thoughts of defending democracy or fighting tyranny that day, but I suspect he understood that he was part of something larger than himself," Whitcomb said.
"It wouldn't surprise me that he did that (save a life)," said William Leonard, Martin's childhood friend. "This is the highest award (Distinguished Service Cross) given to anyone in Murray County and only a few of them in the State of Georgia. He had that much courage ... that much good in him."
Leonard and Martin grew up together and were both drafted into the Army to fight in World War II. However, both went to different parts of the world – Leonard to the Pacific and Martin to Europe.
"We never knew what his awards were for," Leonard said. "He didn't want to talk about it."
Martin died in January this year from heart failure. His nieces and nephew who attended the ceremony survive him. He was formally presented the decoration in a small, private ceremony last year.
"I didn't know Mr. Martin, but I have known some men like him," Whitcomb said. "Ordinary men who find themselves in extraordinary circumstances, in the worst of conditions, doing what our nation has asked them to do ... and then doing something more."
According to another childhood friend, Zeke Hufstetler, Martin was the son of a disabled World War I veteran. Martin was reared on a farm and worked at the local sawmill.
Martin was drafted into the Army in November 1942 as a wireman in the Signal Corps. The winter of his heroic effort, he developed frostbite and was sent home to Georgia with an honorable discharge.
Since he did not discuss his service in the military, very few in Murray County were aware of the extent of his accolades.
Vietnam veteran Bruce Kendrick said, "A couple of years ago, a few of us local vets started talking about Glenn Martin and his accomplishments in World War II."
Curiosity led Kendrick to start an investigation of Martin's achievements. With the help of Georgia Congressman Nathan Deal, they were able to discover the extent of Martin's heroism through old Department of Defense personnel records.
"He's a farm kid from Chatsworth, Ga.," Kendrick said. "And he received the Distinguished Service Cross!"
Kendrick said what made this more remarkable was that Martin "wasn't pretentious and didn't brag about it."
"I can't tell you what motivated Private Glenn Martin to do what he did that Thursday 63 years and one week ago," Whitcomb said. "Perhaps no one can. I can tell you that because of him, and because of millions like him who served during World War II, tyranny was defeated and that the world is a better place."
| Date Taken: | 06.28.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 06.28.2007 14:11 |
| Story ID: | 11015 |
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| Web Views: | 551 |
| Downloads: | 430 |
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