Posted by Ronald Bellows on January 20, 2016:

I served with John in Vietnam from the summer of 1967 until he was killed in February of 1968. We both were part of the staff of the 45th Engineer Group, stationed during his time at Qui Nhon, a city along the South Vietnam coast. During TET of 1968 John was in a helicopter of the 1st Cavalry Division flying over the citadel at Hue on a reconnaissance mission with other members of the group staff, seeking a site for the group headquarters which was relocating north as our support requirements were shifting north during the TET. As the helicopter John was in circled the Hue citadel, it took a hit and was forced down, landing near the SW corner of the citadel, near a unit of the South Vietnamese army. While all the staff got out of the helicopter and sought safety with the South Vietnamese unit after impact, a North Vietnamese soldier in front of the downed helicopter fired a rocket back into the helicopter, striking John and killing him instantly. John's death was a tough blow for me. I not only had been working with him on the staff as the group's aviation officer, but had also been sharing quarters with him in a trailer located on the east side of Qui Nhon city, near the officers' club. We had become good friends, frequently sharing stories of family and home prior to calling it a day in the evening. In addition, while my staff element included two other officer aviators and a warrant officer aviator, John always insisted that I be the command pilot any time he had to fly, which was quite often. Having placed that kind of confidence in me and then losing his life while flying with someone else had a special impact on me. John was a hard worker, dedicating himself to the mission, and doing a masterful job running the most important element within our group headquarters, He had to shuffle engineer support provided by our battalions strung out along the eastern coast of Vietnam, all the way from Qui Nhon to beyond Chu Lai, just short of Da Nang, support to US divisions as well to the Korean division stationed near Qui Nhon. He worked long hours, tirelessly, never complaining and always exhibiting a special sense of Irish humor. Just before John's death he received word that he would be returning to the faculty at West Point following his tour, to the Math Department, from where he had come prior to Vietnam. I recall that he was overjoyed in learning this, as well as by the fact that he would be reuniting with his wife. John Martin was a special individual, one who I took great pleasure in knowing and in having the opportunity to share a small part of our lives.

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