JOHN R. MARTIN, LTJG, USN
John Martin '67
Lucky Bag
From the 1967 Lucky Bag:
JOHN RICHARD MARTIN
Youngstown, Ohio
John, more commonly known as "Bruno," because of his wrestling prowess, will always be remembered for his avid interest in sports, both as a participant and a knowledgeable fan. He followed a gridiron career with the national champion 150 team at Navy, but preferred summer league baseball at home where he continued to break down the fences. During all this, John never let his studies interfere, though consistently maintaining a better than 3.0 average and still getting a hard but enjoyable workout in the pool almost every afternoon. There is no doubt that with his ability to succeed and friendly, likeable manner, John will be an important addition to whatever branch of the Navy he chooses.
JOHN RICHARD MARTIN
Youngstown, Ohio
John, more commonly known as "Bruno," because of his wrestling prowess, will always be remembered for his avid interest in sports, both as a participant and a knowledgeable fan. He followed a gridiron career with the national champion 150 team at Navy, but preferred summer league baseball at home where he continued to break down the fences. During all this, John never let his studies interfere, though consistently maintaining a better than 3.0 average and still getting a hard but enjoyable workout in the pool almost every afternoon. There is no doubt that with his ability to succeed and friendly, likeable manner, John will be an important addition to whatever branch of the Navy he chooses.
Loss
John was lost on November 25, 1969 when the A-4 Skyhawk he was piloting collided with another and then crashed in Florida.
Career
John was named to the Superintendent's honor list in 1963 and 1965. Training while a midshipman included amphibious training at Coronado, CA, and a midshipman cruise aboard the guided missile cruiser USS Galveston. He earned his wings in November, 1968. In April, 1968 his hometown paper reported he had arrived in Naples as a jet bomber pilot and had been assigned to duty with the navy's Mediterranean force.
Other Information
From the February 1970 issue of Shipmate:
Lt.(jg) John R. Martin, USN, died 25 November as the result of an aircraft accident at Jacksonville, Fla. He was a pilot with Attack Squadron 172, based at the Naval Air Station, Cecil Field, at the time of the accident.
Lt. (jg) Martin, born in Youngstown, Ohio, was a member of the 35th Company at the Naval Academy and was graduated in June 1967. He had naval air training at Pensacola and in May 1969 joined Attack Squadron 172.
He is survived by his widow Linda and a son Richard Lee Martin of ... Jacksonville, Fla., and his parents Mr. and Mrs. Richard E. Martin of ... St. Joseph, Mo.
From A-4 Skyhawk:
November 25, 1969
Lt(jg) John R. Martin and Lt(jg) Robert A. McCleery were killed when A-4C BuNo 149523 collided with A-4C BuNo 147839 at low level while in formation with a 3rd Skyhawk. Portions of one crashed into a home along State Road 13 about 30 miles south of Jacksonville, FL and the other cut a fiery swath through an orange grove in the Switzerland area of St. Johns county.
Ocala, FL, Ocala Star Banner, Wednesday, November 26, 1969.
John is buried in Missouri.
Remembrances
From the Class of 1967's 50th Reunion Yearbook, courtesy of William Belden '67:
John joined the brigade after graduating from high school in St. Joseph, Missouri. As a member of the 35th Company, he played on the 150-pound football team that won the national championship and exhibited his prowess for the wrestling team while maintaining a consistent 3.0 academic average. John was always the cool, calm and collected friend to everyone who knew him, showing that humility has a proud place in the Naval Service. After graduation John was ordered to flight school in Pensacola where he married Linda. His superior athletic ability and innate intelligence enabled John to screen for advanced jet training, his light at the end of the tunnel through four years at the Academy. After training in the A-4 Replacement Air Group, he reported to Attack Squadron 172 (VA-172), the Blue Bolts, flying the A-4C aircraft. During an ordnance training mission on the afternoon of 25 November 1969 both he and fellow classmate, Bob McCleery (26) died in a multi-plane, weather-related accident on their return to NAS Cecil Field, Florida.
A memorial service was held in Cecil Field where John’s fellow squadron pilots gathered to pay their respects to John and Linda and to think on the great aviator, wonderful friend and the fragile life of a Naval Aviator and Naval Aviator’s family, which John had worked so hard for so long to know. A funeral mass for John was held on 1 December in the Cathedral of St Joseph followed by interment in the Mount Olivet Cemetery. Three of John’s fellow Naval Aviators served as pallbearers at the funeral. John, the son of Councilman and Mrs. Richard Martin, was survived by his wife Linda and his son Richard Lee Martin.
Related Articles
Michael Smith '67 and Hal Castle, Jr. '67 were also in 35th Company.
Robert McCleery '67 was the other pilot killed in the collision.
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
