Major Martin was a crew member of a B-29A Superfortress Bomber with the 22nd Bomber Wing. On 19 October 1950, as the aircraft departed on a combat mission, its engine burst into flames on take-off and crashed into the sea killing eight crew members.

Martin was awarded the Purple Heart, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.