Eugene Martin
Early Life
Eugene Victor Martin was born on March 1, 1896, in the United States, with records indicating family origins connected to Pennsylvania County, Virginia. He was the son of Peter Martin and Josie Hunt and grew up in a large family that included at least five brothers. By 1905, he was living in Rye, New York, where he remained through his youth, residing there in 1910 and again in 1915 as part of a working-class household during a period when Rye was transitioning between rural life and suburban development.
At the time of his World War I draft registration on June 5, 1917, Martin was living on East Post Road in Rye and was employed as a farm laborer by Pliny Fisk. His work reflects the agricultural and estate-based labor that remained an important part of the local economy. He was single and reported no dependents. He was described as of medium height and build, with brown eyes and black hair.
Contemporary accounts described him as a young man from Rye who would later distinguish himself in military service, reflecting both his local identity and the pride taken in the contributions of African American soldiers during the war. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
World War I Service
Martin enlisted in the United States Army on November 5, 1917, in New York and initially served with Company L, 15th Infantry Regiment, New York National Guard, a unit that was later federalized as the 369th Infantry Regiment. This regiment, famously known as the “Harlem Hellfighters,” became one of the most highly decorated African American units of World War I and served under French command on the Western Front.
He later served with Company I of the 369th Infantry Regiment and was deployed overseas as part of the American Expeditionary Forces. His service placed him in some of the most significant campaigns of the war, including the Champagne region, the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, operations along the Marne, and service in Alsace, all of which were major areas of sustained combat during the final phases of World War I.
During his service, Martin was wounded twice in action, first severely on June 13, 1918, and again on September 28, 1918. Despite these injuries, his conduct in the field was recognized with a citation for bravery, and he was awarded the French Croix de Guerre for his service as a dispatch rider, a role that required carrying messages across dangerous front-line conditions under fire.
He served overseas from December 1917 until February 1919 and was honorably discharged on February 22, 1919, following demobilization. His service record reflects both sustained combat exposure and personal bravery under fire.
Life After Service
Following his return from World War I, Martin continued his life in New York, later residing in Mamaroneck by 1920. His early life connections to Rye remained an important part of his identity, and his wartime service stood as a source of pride within the community.
Available records do not clearly document the later years of his life or the date of his death. His legacy, however, is closely tied to his service with the 369th Infantry Regiment and his demonstrated bravery in combat during World War I.
At the time of his death, surviving family members are not identified in available records.