John Martin

Actor · 1922 – 2005 · Columbus, Ohio, USA

John W. “Johnny” Martin (May 12, 1922 – January 26, 2005) was an American Army non-commissioned officer and World War II veteran. He served as a Staff Sergeant with Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, and was one of the original members of the company trained at Camp Toccoa, Georgia. Born in Columbus, Ohio, Martin worked as a railroad employee before enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1942 and volunteering for the airborne forces. He completed his training at Camp Toccoa and Fort Benning before deploying to England with Easy Company in preparation for the Allied invasion of Europe. Martin parachuted into Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944, and participated in the Battle of Normandy. He subsequently fought with Easy Company during Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands and the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium. He remained with the company through its advance into Germany and Austria, serving until the end of the war. After the war, Martin attended Ohio State University before returning to the railroad industry. He later moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where he entered the construction business and built apartments and homes. His successful construction company eventually made him a millionaire. Martin's wartime experiences were featured in Stephen E. Ambrose's 1992 book Band of Brothers and the 2001 HBO miniseries adaptation. He also appeared in the pre-episode interviews for the series, sharing his recollections of his service with Easy Company. Martin was portrayed by Dexter Fletcher in Band of Brothers. Martin died on January 25, 2005, at the age of 82.