Sixto R Martinez, Jr

Sergeant
A CO, 1ST BN, 52ND INFANTRY, 198 INF BDE
Army of the United States
27 January 1947 - 08 March 1969
Galveston, Texas
Panel 30W Line 078

198 INF BDE 52ND INF RGT
Combat Infantry

Bronze Star, Purple Heart, National Defense, Vietnam Service, Vietnam Campaign
Sixto R. Martinez

The database page for Sixto R Martinez, Jr

28 Aug 2004

Sixto was in my basic training company, "D" Company, 5th Battalion, First Training Brigade at Fort Polk, Louisiana, from September 20, 1967 to November 17, 1967. He was in the 3rd Platoon and I was in the first. Sixto was a quiet guy who went about completing basic training in the best way he could. Sixto was one of the fastest runners in the company. We had a distance runner who was very near world class. In the final PCT mile for record, this guy was very close to the Fort Polk mile run record. Sixto was a few seconds behind him in the run. That was my memories of Sixto. He did the best he could even though he was in the Army under Selective Service. I don't remember anything adverse or out of synch. He was one of the guys, just doing his best.

Sixto began his tour in Vietman on March 23, 1968 as an infantryman, was promoted to Sergeant, and was a squad leader. Sixto was killed in a mortar attack about 2 weeks before his year long tour was to be completed. He died on March 8, 1969. I will always remember him.

Bill Brown
bmbrown@grandecom.net

Sixto Martinez

Sixto in Hand to Hand Combat Training
D-5-1, Fort Polk, Louisiana, Fall 1967

A Note from The Virtual Wall

Between 28 Feb and 08 Mar 1969 the 1st Battalion, 52nd Infantry fought a series of engagements with NVA forces in the vicinity of Tien Phuoc, Quang Tin Province. The battalion lost 23 men in the fighting. Five of those losses came on 08 March: Both Sergeant Martinez and SP4 Rupe initially were classed as "missing in action", placing their families in a special kind of limbo. Although both were recovered, that did not happened at once ... a DoD press release dated 27 March noted their change in status from Missing to Killed in Action.

Sixto R. Martinez, Jr,
Sergeant, United States Army,
was buried on 04 Apr 1969 in Site 1997, Section W,
Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery,
San Antonio, Texas,
among other men of honor and integrity.





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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 28 Aug 2004
Last updated 08/10/2009