First Lieutenant Martin was a member of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. He was carrying a live mortar round and accidentally fell causing it to explode. He was evacuated to the 45th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital at Munsam-ni, North Korea, where he died on 3 July 1953.

Martin was awarded the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Korean War Service Medal.