Charles E. Martin

United States army 1918-1919

World War I

private

Charles E. Martin served in World War I in France. He and his fellow soldiers endured a more than 2-week trip across the North Atlantic to Port Saint-Nazaire France. The voyage was fraught with danger from German submarines and U-boats committed to stopping any US soldiers from landing in Europe. Pvt. 1st Class Martin served from 1918 into 1919 with the 50th Artillery CAC 38th Brigade, a ground fighting force.

Martin was a lifelong champion of the town in which he was born, grew up, married, raised his three children and guided his many grandchildren. As a member of the North Thompsonville Volunteer Fire District for approximately 40 years, he was trusted as the District Tax Collector and rose to Deputy Chief of the department. For the VFW Patrick F. Triggs Post 1501, he rarely missed participating in Memorial Day and Veterans Day observances and served as Post Commander from 1943 until 1946.

Throughout the Great Depression, Martin, alongside many other residents of his town, dedicated himself to serving with the Works Progress Association (WPA). Their commitment was particularly evident during times of crisis. Martin and his fellow townspeople willingly left the comfort of their homes to work tirelessly, often around the clock, in order to protect their community. Their efforts became especially crucial during the 1936 flood and the 1938 hurricane. In these challenging moments, the work performed by Martin and the WPA workers was instrumental in saving lives and ensuring the continuity of essential infrastructure.