Martin receives military awards
Zino Carr, Staff Writer
Issue date: 5/6/05 Section: News
Charles Martin received several awards for distinguished military service in the China-Burma-India campaign of World War II. By the personal direction of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the India-China wing of the Air Transport Command was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation.
The award is "awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and co-belligerent nations for extraordinary heroism in action," according to Milnet.com. "The unit must display such gallantry, determination, and esprit de corps in accomplishing its mission under extremely difficult and hazardous conditions as to set it apart and above other units participating in the same campaign."
Additionally, Martin received the American Defense Ribbon, the Asia-Pacific Service Ribbon with a battle star, the Air Medal with a bronze cluster, and most notably the Distinguished Flying Cross.
The award is awarded to any officer or enlisted member of the United States Armed Forces who distinguishes himself or herself in combat in support of operations by heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight.
Captain Charles Lindbergh was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his 1927 solo transatlantic flight, as was Amelia Earhardt for her transatlantic flight.
Martin avoids characterizing his own CBI exploits as anything glamorous or particularly noteworthy, despite evidence to the contrary. He said that he and his fellow CBI Theatre Veterans prefer to confine their grandstanding to Wednesday morning coffee-shop meetings. There, they feel free to embellish their tales with the same cavalier relish that helped carry them over the Hump and into the jungles of China, Burma, and India.
Like most of the young pilots hurried to the theatre by the Allied Command, Martin had never flown anything like the large, heavy, multi-engined cargo planes they would be ordered to pilot over the most treacherous terrain on the planet.
"But we made it," he said. "Total air crew time on the plane was two hours when we got there."
The award is "awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and co-belligerent nations for extraordinary heroism in action," according to Milnet.com. "The unit must display such gallantry, determination, and esprit de corps in accomplishing its mission under extremely difficult and hazardous conditions as to set it apart and above other units participating in the same campaign."
Additionally, Martin received the American Defense Ribbon, the Asia-Pacific Service Ribbon with a battle star, the Air Medal with a bronze cluster, and most notably the Distinguished Flying Cross.
The award is awarded to any officer or enlisted member of the United States Armed Forces who distinguishes himself or herself in combat in support of operations by heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight.
Captain Charles Lindbergh was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his 1927 solo transatlantic flight, as was Amelia Earhardt for her transatlantic flight.
Martin avoids characterizing his own CBI exploits as anything glamorous or particularly noteworthy, despite evidence to the contrary. He said that he and his fellow CBI Theatre Veterans prefer to confine their grandstanding to Wednesday morning coffee-shop meetings. There, they feel free to embellish their tales with the same cavalier relish that helped carry them over the Hump and into the jungles of China, Burma, and India.
Like most of the young pilots hurried to the theatre by the Allied Command, Martin had never flown anything like the large, heavy, multi-engined cargo planes they would be ordered to pilot over the most treacherous terrain on the planet.
"But we made it," he said. "Total air crew time on the plane was two hours when we got there."
