02064627 Second Lieutenant

8th Air Force,  Army Air Force

1943 - 1945

Prisoner of War

Purple Heart

        Rex Hugh Martin was born 20 September 1919 in Wynne, Arkansas, the son of George Rex and Mary Inez Copeland Martin.   He grew up with two brothers, Bill and George, and one sister, Amber Jane.   He graduated from Wynne High School in 1937 and was employed as a laboratory technician by the General Controls Company at Glendale, California.

        Entering the Army Air Force June 1, 1943, he was sent to Sheppard Field, Texas for basic training and later completed training as a navigator.   Lieutenant Martin was sent to England in September, 1944, and served with the 8th Air Force.   He was on his l3th combat mission when his plane was shot down and he parachuted to safety in a field near Cuxhaven, Germany.   He was captured by the Germans 31 December 1944 and was a prisoner at Stalag Luft 1 near Barth, Germany, until he was liberated by the Russians April 30, 1945.  He was evacuated to Le Havre, France, and from there was sent to the United States.   Holder of the Air Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, he is also a member of the Caterpillar Club, composed of those that have resorted to parachutes to save their lives.   He, also, received the European Theater Ribbon with two Battle Stars; the Purple Heart and the Prisoner of War Medal.   He was placed on inactive duty at Camp Chaffee, Arkansas, October 30, 1945.

        In 1941, Rex married Floreine Blessing and in 1976 he married Helen Abel Hallmark.   He had two stepchildren, Ralph Halmark, Jr. and Gerald Abel Hallmark.  After his discharge, he returned to General Controls Company and was assigned to coordinating engineering with production of gas controls.   He moved to Dallas, Texas in 1946 and entered into sales engineering of heating and air-conditioning units and related products.   In 1972, he formed the Transair Supply Company for the distribution of special pipe and accessories for the Johns-Mansville Company.   He sold his business in 1983 and was living in retirement on Lake Athens, near Athens, Texas.   When he and his wife, Helen, were not traveling, they were fishing, gardening and exchanging visits with their family.

        Rex Hugh Martin died 23 August 2006 and was buried with full military honors 25 August 2006 in Dallas, Texas.

                                                                    1 November 2006 /3/