Martin, Eugene

Description

Eugene Victor Martin was born on March 1, 1896, in the United States. Available records indicate that his family had roots in Patrick County, Virginia. He was the son of Peter Martin and Josie Hunt and grew up in a large family that included several brothers. By 1905, the Martin family had settled in Rye, New York, where Eugene spent his formative years. He was living in Rye in both the 1910 and 1915 state censuses as the community evolved from a rural village into a growing suburban city.

Martin registered for the World War I draft on June 5, 1917, while living in Rye. He was unmarried, reported no dependents, and was described as being of medium height and build with brown eyes and black hair. Contemporary newspaper accounts reveal that he was familiarly known throughout the community as “Gene” and was employed as a chauffeur for Pliny Fisk at Fisk’s residence on Forest Avenue. The local newspaper also noted that Martin was among the first young men from Rye to answer the nation’s call to military service and one of the earliest to be sent overseas.

World War I Service

Martin enlisted in the United States Army on November 5, 1917, in New York. He initially served with Company L, 15th Infantry Regiment, New York National Guard, which was federalized as the 369th Infantry Regiment. Better known as the “Harlem Hellfighters,” the regiment became one of the most celebrated African American combat units of World War I. Assigned to the French Army because of prevailing segregation within the American military, the regiment earned an exceptional combat record, spending 191 days on the front lines—longer than any other American regiment—and distinguished itself during the Champagne Campaign, operations along the Marne, service in Alsace, and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive as part of the American Expeditionary Forces.

Martin later served with Company I of the 369th Infantry Regiment after arriving overseas in December 1917. His military service placed him in some of the fiercest fighting of the war. According to an official telegram received by his parents in Rye, he was admitted to an American base hospital behind the front lines on June 13, 1918, after being reported “badly wounded.” His name subsequently appeared on the official casualty list published in American newspapers. After recovering, Martin returned to duty and was wounded a second time on September 28, 1918, demonstrating remarkable determination and courage under fire.

Martin’s service was recognized for exceptional bravery. Serving as a dispatch rider, he repeatedly carried vital messages through enemy fire between front-line positions, a duty that demanded extraordinary courage and endurance. For his actions, he received a citation for bravery and was awarded the French Croix de Guerre, one of France’s highest military decorations for heroism.

News of Martin’s wounds was widely reported in Rye, where local residents followed his service with great concern and pride. A newspaper article praised the courage and sacrifice of the community’s African American servicemen and described Martin as one of the first Rye men to enter military service and among the earliest to reach France. The same article noted that two of his brothers, Jesse and Frank Martin, were also serving in the armed forces, illustrating the family’s remarkable contribution to the nation’s war effort.

Martin served overseas from December 1917 until February 1919 and was honorably discharged on February 22, 1919, following the demobilization of the American Expeditionary Forces. His wartime record reflected sustained combat service with one of the most distinguished regiments of the First World War and extraordinary personal courage in the face of repeated enemy action.

Life After Service

Following his return from Europe, Martin resumed civilian life in New York and was living in nearby Mamaroneck by 1920. Although relatively little is known about his later years, his connection to Rye remained an important part of his story. His military service had been closely followed by the community during the war, and his courage in battle became a source of local pride.

Available records do not clearly document the remainder of his life or the date of his death. At the time of his death, surviving family members are not identified in available records.

Eugene Victor Martin’s legacy rests upon his distinguished service with the 369th Infantry Regiment, one of the most celebrated units of World War I, and upon the extraordinary sacrifices he made while serving his country. His name is permanently inscribed on the Rye World War I Memorial, where it continues to honor one of the community’s earliest volunteers and a soldier whose bravery reflected the finest traditions of military service.