PFC William R. L. Martin

courtesy of Ed Stallings

PFC William R. L. Martin was born 6 Dec 1919 in Birmingham, Alabama. He was the oldest of the 2 children born to Henry Grady and Icelean (Glass) Martin. His father worked at a cotton mill.

On 16 Oct 1939, William enlisted in the U.S. Army. He married Ruby Louise Elliott on 7 Dec 1940. At some point, he was sent to England and assigned to C Company 116th Infantry.  He trained with the unit for and took part in the amphibious assault at Omaha Beach.  PFC Martin was killed in action on 17 Jun 1944.

PFC Martin was repatriated and re-interred in Forest Hill Cemetery in Birmingham, Alabama.

Grandfather, Aaron Bagwell, served as a PVT in B Company 38th Alabama Infantry in the Civil War.