Memorial Day 2010: Remembering the Martin Boys

Rembembering the Martin Boys

Sometimes, when you examine the lives of those who have gone before you, it is hard to believe that they were just a whisper in the wind. Yet, they make a huge impact either for the good or the bad on all they touch. The Martin Boys where just such a group of young men. Born of Irish/English watermen stock in Tidewater, Virginia they lived through depression, the death of their father and a World War in which two of them served at the end. They were stubborn and brilliant, filled with honor, valor, and a greater sense of duty than most young people could hope to conceive of. My father, the youngest, of the four knew in addition the true definition of sacrifice.

While their greatest accomplishments were done outside of their service, this time impacted their lives and helped built a foundation for the measure of success they all accomplished. While not all flew they surely know what it meant to soar with the eagles.

~James Joseph Martin Jr. Was a journalist and Newspaper man in Hampton, Virginia

~Fred William Martin was key in the developing of the wind tunnel for NASA. He went on to head the Aero-Space Department at Auburn University in Alabama.

~John Hope Martin excelled in engineering and taught at Virginia Tech when it was still VPI. Later after early retirement due to a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis he, always the scientist, conducted research on the effects of Barometric Pressure on arthritis.

~Robert Andrew Martin became a pastor and spent his life comforting people and helping those in need. He was in addition an Educator, Social Reformer Artist and Puppeteer

In addition to their achievements each of the 4 brothers had eye troubles that made reading and writing incredibly difficult. Uncle James was blinded at a young age by the MS that eventually took his life. Each of the other three had varying levels of what we now know as amblyopia, dyslexia, and astigmatism. In addition my father overcame a speech impediment and partial deafness to become a public speaker, as well as a pastor.

To my uncles and my father, Yes, We remember! Thank- you All!

(click on the photo to see it larger)

Happy Memorial Day 2010