Memorial

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Albert C. Martin graduated from Yale University in 1943 with a major in international relations. He was the captain of the freshman baseball team. He also played three other sports and was a member of the U.S. Army Reserve.

Commissioned on completion of ROTC training at Yale, he received further training at Fort Sill in Oklahoma and was promoted first lieutenant at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. He graduated from orientation officers school in Washington and Lee University in August 1944.
Lt Martin had been in Europe only a few weeks when his battalion ended up near the frozen German-Belgium border. On 21 December 1944, they got caught in a traffic jam of retreating Americans. Worried about missing vehicles, Lt Martin volunteered to go back. When his jeep reached an open space, Germans opened fire. The driver tried to turn around. Lt Martin was hit, fell out and yelled,´Keep going´. The driver sped away, the sound of Martin´s gun ringing in his ears. Several days later they found Lt Martin´s body. Near it lay three dead Germans. Lt Martin was awarded the Silver Star Medal posthumously for this action.

The army has named a recreation camp at Namur, Belgium, in honor of Lt Martin. The camp is known as Martin Recreational Center.