US Army Private Joe P. Martinez: A Medal of Honor Tale of Courage and Sacrifice

Welcome back everyone.  In this episode of Duty & Valor, you’ll hear the story of a man who was drafted into the US Army during World War II.  A man who lacked rank, but not courage when faced with adversity.  A man who led a solo attack against fierce resistance on a snow covered Alaskan ridge.  This is the story of Medal of Honor Recipient US Army Private Joe Martinez.

Joseph P. Martinez was born on July 27th, 1920 in Taos, New Mexico to parents Jose and Maria.  He was the youngest of seven children, and when he was seven years old, his parents moved the family to Colorado.  

Joe finished school in Ault, Colorado and in August, 1942, he was drafted into the US Army.  He received basic training at Camp Roberts in California, where Joe was one of 436,000 troops trained there during World War II.  Upon completion of his training, he was assigned to the 32nd Infantry regiment, 7th Infantry Division. 

On May 11th, 1943, Joe and the other men of the 7th made landfall on Attu Island in Alaska as part of Operation Landcrab.  The previous year on June 6th, elements of the Japanese Northern Army invaded Attu and Kiska islands and had occupied them ever since.  This marked the first time since the War of 1812 that the US was invaded by foreign forces.  The two islands are part of the Aleutian Island chain off the coast of Alaska and the US believed the intention of the Japanese was to use this area as a staging point for further attacks on the US mainland.

The amphibious attack by the 7th was supported by seaborne bombardment from the US Navy and air support from Canadian forces.  The Americans were attempting to dislodge the Japanese from the ridges around Holtz Bay, but they faced tough conditions.  What made their uphill attack against the entrenched Japanese even harder than was anticipated was the amount of snow still on the ground on Attu.  To clear the ridges, the American forces had to navigate narrow passes where the Japanese focused their defense.  The 7th faced rifle, machine gun, and mortar fire and made slow progress over the first 14 days of the operation, and by the 24th they were near Fish Hook Ridge, which was the objective of Joe’s regiment.

Unfortunately they faced fierce resistance there and were pinned down by heavy machine gun fire.  For two days their assault was stalled, but on the 26th they attacked again and finally made some progress.  It looked as if the momentum of the battle swung the way of the Americans, but they soon realized that the defenders' resolve was stiffening and the assault soon stalled again.    

At this point Joe decided he needed to do something.  He grabbed his Browning Automatic Rifle, some grenades and all the ammunition he had and led a solo assault against the Japanese.  Even though he faced a well entrenched enemy firing at him from elevated positions, he made progress and attacked them at close range.  At times, he would stop to encourage the other men of his unit to follow along, which they did.  But they always seemed to be chasing Joe.  

He cleared multiple trenches and picked up an M1 rifle when he ran out of ammunition.  With all of the nearby Japanese neutralized, Joe’s unit still had their final objective ahead of them.  Facing another 150 foot climb to the top of the pass, Joe again led his men forward, clearing many trenches by himself.  The men eventually made it to the top where Joe noticed a 15 foot cliff that overlooked a Japanese trench system.  By this point he had replenished his ammunition and climbed to the top of the cliff.  From this position he was able to fire down on the enemy.  He was wreaking havoc on the Japanese, emptying multiple magazines into them.  As he was exposed, a well-aimed, or maybe lucky shot hit Joe in the head.  Men from his unit raced to his side and attempted to give him medical care, but the wound was severe.  Faced with impossible evacuation, all they could do was make Joe as comfortable as possible, and he unfortunately succumbed to his head wound that day at the age of 22.    

Due to the success of the American attack which was courageously spearheaded by Joe, the Japanese had retreated by the next morning.  The enemy remained on the island putting up some resistance for a few more days.  But by the 29th, the Japanese knew their situation was dire and there was no hope of rescue.  The Japanese commander, Colonel Yamasaki, ordered a last charge against the American forces.  The surprise attack was able to break through the American front lines and soon faced the shocked men of their rear-echelon.  The opposing sides fought each other in ferocious hand-to-hand combat until nearly all Japanese men fell dead.  This last charge effectively ended the Battle of Attu, but some survivors held out for a few more months.

Due to his selfless and courageous actions on May 26th, 1943, US Army Private Joseph Martinez was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the first Hispanic-American to receive it during World War II 

Joe’s body was returned to Colorado where he was buried at the Ault Cemetery with full military honors.           

Joe's story reminds us that ordinary individuals can achieve extraordinary feats when they tap into the depths of their inner strength.  With courage etched into every step, he selflessly dedicated himself to a cause greater than his own, inspiring those around him with his unwavering resolve.  His legacy serves as a shining example of what is possible when we embrace the call of duty with unwavering determination and a heart full of courage.

Thank you for listening to this episode of Duty & Valor.

If you'd want to learn more about the life of Private Joe Martinez, you can find all the sources used for today’s episode in our show notes and on our website, dutyandvalor.com.

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