Joe P. Martínez

He led an uphill assault against the enemy positions on Attu

Joe P. Martínez was born on July 27, 1920, in Taos, New Mexico. He served as a private and automatic rifleman in Company K, 32d Infantry, 7th Infantry Division, during World War II.

On May 26, 1943, on Attu Island in the Aleutians, an American attack stalled under heavy fire. Martínez rose and advanced, encouraging others to follow. Using his Browning Automatic Rifle and grenades, he overcame defended positions during a steep climb. He continued toward the Holtz-Chichogof Pass, silencing trenches along the way. He was mortally wounded while firing into the final enemy trench below the pass. The troops captured the pass, helping bring organized resistance on the island toward its end.

His posthumous Medal of Honor was presented to his family in Ault, Colorado, on November 11, 1943, by Brigadier General Frank L. Culin Jr. Martínez was buried in Ault Cemetery. His award commemorates the initiative that renewed an advance across difficult, snow-covered terrain.

Official Medal of Honor citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy. Over a period of several days, repeated efforts to drive the enemy from a key defensive position high in the snow-covered precipitous mountains between east arm of Holtz Bay and Chichogof Harbor had failed. On 26 May 1943, troop dispositions were readjusted and a trial coordinated attack on this position by a reinforced battalion was launched. Initially successful, the attack hesitated. In the face of severe hostile machine-gun, rifle, and mortar fire, Pvt. Martinez, an automatic rifleman, rose to his feet and resumed his advance. Occasionally he stopped to urge his comrades on. His example inspired others to follow. After a most difficult climb, Pvt. Martinez eliminated resistance from part of the enemy position by BAR fire and hand grenades, thus assisting the advance of other attacking elements. This success only partially completed the action. The main Holtz-Chichogof Pass rose about 150 feet higher, flanked by steep rocky ridges and reached a snow-filled defile. Passage was barred by enemy fire from either flank and from tiers of snow trenches in front. Despite these obstacles, and knowing of their existence, Pvt. Martinez again led the troops on and up, personally silencing several trenches with BAR fire and ultimately reaching the pass itself. Here, just below the knifelike rim of the pass, Pvt. Martinez encountered a final enemy-occupied trench and as he was engaged in firing into it he was mortally wounded. The pass, however, was taken and its capture was an important preliminary to the end of organized hostile resistance on the island.