Benito Martinez
April 21, 1932(1932-04-21) – September 6, 1952 (aged 20)
Corporal Benito Martinez, Medal of Honor recipient
Place of birth	Fort Hancock, Texas
Place of death	Near Satae-ri, Korea
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1951-1952
Rank	Corporal
Unit	Company A, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division
Battles/wars	Korean War
Awards	Medal of Honor Purple Heart

Corporal Benito Martinez (April 21, 1932 – September 6, 1952) was a United States Army soldier who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor — the United States' highest military decoration — for his actions on the near Satae-ri in Korea during the Korean War. Events 753 BC - Romulus and Remus found Rome ( traditional date) Year 1932 ( MCMXXXII) was a Leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 3114 BC - According to the Proleptic Julian calendar the current era in the Maya Long Count Calendar started Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Fort Hancock is a Census-designated place (CDP in Hudspeth County, Texas, United States. Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries a civilization and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and also by some police forces or other uniformed organizations The 27th Infantry, nicknamed the " Wolfhounds," served as part of the 25th Infantry (Lightning Division during the Korean War and later the The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving Events 753 BC - Romulus and Remus found Rome ( traditional date) Year 1932 ( MCMXXXII) was a Leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 3114 BC - According to the Proleptic Julian calendar the current era in the Maya Long Count Calendar started Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. A posthumous recognition is a ceremonial award given after the recipient has died usually in honor of an action associated with their death The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the Martinez was mortally wounded while solely defending his outpost. His actions enabled his company to take back the terrain which they had lost.

Contents 1 Early years 2 Korean War 3 Medal of Honor citation 4 Honors 5 Awards and recognitions 6 See also 7 Notes 8 References

Early years

Martinez was a Mexican-American born to Mr. See also History of Mexican-Americans Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican ancestry and Mrs. Francisco Martinez in Fort Hancock, Texas. Fort Hancock is a Census-designated place (CDP in Hudspeth County, Texas, United States. There, he received his primary and secondary education. He joined the United States Army at the recruiting station in his hometown. The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. Martinez completed his basic training and was eventually assigned to Company A (Able Company) of the 25th Infantry Division. Recruit training is the initial Indoctrination and instruction given to new military personnel

Korean War

The North Korean Communist forces invaded the Republic of Korea on June 25, 1950. North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia, South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often referred to as Korea ( Korean: 대한민국 tɛː Events 524 - Battle of Vézeronce, the Franks defeat the Burgundians Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The 25th Infantry Division (whose nickname was "Wolfhounds") was stationed in Hawaii and in July was put on alert. The State of Hawaii ( or həˈwaɪʔiː Hawaiian: Mokuāina o Hawaii) is a state in the United States located on an Archipelago in the By July 18, the entire division was in Pusan in Republic of Korea.

On February 23, 1952, the 25th Division, under the command of Major General Ira P. Events 1455 - Traditional date for the publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western Book printed from Movable Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Swift, was in the front line in the center of the X Corps sector near Mundung-ni northeast of the Hwach'on Reservoir. The division assumed the front line routine of patrols, ambushes, artillery exchanges, and bunker maintenance. The division also secured and defended forward outposts beyond the main line of resistance. ^[1]

Martinez's unit, the 2nd Platoon of A Company, inherited a position known as Sandbag Castle from Charlie Company (C Company). On the night of September 5, 1952, Corporal Martinez was in Outpost Agnes performing forward listening post duties. Events 1590 - Alexander Farnese 's army forces Henry IV of France to raise the siege of Paris. Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Outpost Agnes was a bunker large enough to hold four soldiers. A military bunker is a hardened shelter often buried partly or fully underground designed to protect the inhabitants from falling bombs or other attacks Shortly after midnight, the North Koreans began shelling Sandbag Castle. During a lull in the shelling, the men of the 27th inside the castle were able to spot crawling North Korean soldiers whose intentions were to cut off the forward bunkers and Outpost Anges.

Martinez ordered the three men in his bunker to return to the Sandbag Castle. His commanding officer, Lieutenant McLean called him on the sound power telephone and ordered him to get out. Martinez, knowing the situation better than anyone, replied that he would have to stay on and delay the North Koreans as long as possible. Martinez remained at his post and with his machinegun inflicted numerous casualties on the attacking troops. For other uses of the phrase see Machine Gun (disambiguation. When he ran out of ammunition he retreated to a bunker destroyed by enemy shelling and from there continued his assault with a Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR). Ammunition, often referred to as ammo, is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which The BAR (short for Browning Automatic Rifle is a family of American 7 Martinez was mortally wounded before his unit was able to counterattack and regain their terrain. ^[2]

On December 29, 1953, President Harry S. Truman presented the family of Benito Martinez with the Medal of Honor. Events 1170 - Thomas Becket: Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury is assassinated inside Canterbury Cathedral by followers of King Henry II Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Medal of Honor citation

BENITO MARTINEZ Rank and organization:Corporal, U. S. Army, Company A, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. Place and date:Near Satae-ri Korea, 6 September 1952. Entered service at:Fort Hancock, Texas Born: 21 March 1931, Fort Hancock, Texas G. O. No. : 96, 29 December 1953 Citation:

Cpl. Martinez, a machine gunner with Company A, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and outstanding courage above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. While manning a listening post forward of the main line of resistance, his position was attacked by a hostile force of reinforced company strength. In the bitter fighting which ensued, the enemy infiltrated the defense perimeter and, realizing that encirclement was imminent, Cpl. Martinez elected to remain at his post in an attempt to stem the onslaught. In a daring defense, he raked the attacking troops with crippling fire, inflicting numerous casualties. Although contacted by sound power phone several times, he insisted that no attempt be made to rescue him because of the danger involved. Soon thereafter, the hostile forces rushed the emplacement, forcing him to make a limited withdrawal with only an automatic rifle and pistol to defend himself. After a courageous 6-hour stand and shortly before dawn, he called in for the last time, stating that the enemy was converging on his position His magnificent stand enabled friendly elements to reorganize, attack, and regain the key terrain. Cpl. Martinez' incredible valor and supreme sacrifice reflect lasting glory upon himself and are in keeping with the honored traditions of the military service. ^[3][4]

Honors

Cpl. Benito Martinez was buried in Fort Hancock Cemetery and exhumed in the 1980s to be buried with full military honors at Fort Bliss National Cemetery in El Paso, Texas. Fort Bliss National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in the United States Army post of Fort Bliss, in El Paso County Texas Both cities, El Paso and Fort Hancock, have honored his memory by naming elementary schools after him.

Awards and recognitions

Among Benito Martinez's decorations and medals were the following:

•   Medal of Honor
•   Purple Heart
•   National Defense Service Medal
•   Korean Service Medal with two bronze stars
•   United Nations Service Medal
•   Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation

See also

• List of Medal of Honor recipients
• List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Korean War
• Hispanic Medal of Honor recipients

Notes

References

• Benito Martinez (soldier) at Find A Grave Retrieved on 2007-12-28

• "BENITO MARTINEZ" entry. Find A Grave is a Website allowing its users to access maintain and expand an online Database of Burial records Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1065 - Westminster Abbey is Consecrated. 1308 - The reign of Emperor Hanazono, Emperor of Medal of Honor Recipients: Korean War. Center of Military History (CMH), United States Army (July 16, 2007). The Center of Military History (CMH is responsible for the appropriate use of history throughout the United States Army. Events 622 - The beginning of the Islamic calendar. 1054 - Three Roman legates fractured relations between the Western and Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Retrieved on 2007-12-31. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 406 – Vandals, Alans and Suebians cross the Rhine, beginning an invasion of Gallia.
• Great Schools
• Medal of Honor recipients M-O

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