101st Airborne Original Jim "Pee Wee" Martin dies at 101

XENIA, OH (September 11, 2022) - On September 11, we lost another valiant member of the Greatest Generation. Jim "Pee Wee" Martin passed away at 101 years old. Martin was nicknamed “Pee Wee” because of his small stature, but was a true hero who served in the U.S. military during some of the most critical and dangerous operations of World War II.

Martin was a member of the Screaming Eagles division and parachuted into Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944. The Screaming Eagles were among the first Allied soldiers to set foot in occupied France. He was also one of the original “Toccoa Men,” who were featured in the popular television series Band of Brothers.

Although humble about his own service, he worked throughout his life, telling his story to the public to honor the legacy of those, like him, who fought hard for freedom.

On many occasions, Martin attended events and supported the CAF in projects. He was especially fond of the crews of the CAF’s C-47 That's All, Brother, and C-53 D-Day Doll, both making efforts to attend his birthday celebrations. When Martin learned that he was not healthy enough to travel to Normandy in 2019, for the 75th Anniversary of D-Day, members of the Central Texas Wing made the trip from San Marcos,TX to Xenia, Ohio to give him a flight before they left for Europe.

When Pee Wee's wife passed in 2019, he wrote a letter with the instruction to publish it on his Facebook page when he passed. You can read the whole letter here: https://bit.ly/3RUZ3Yb but we wanted to share this excerpt with you:

"My interactions with those who view this page and with many others who I have met in person over these last years have brightened my later life more than I can tell you."

In 2015, Jim PeeWee Martin lent his support to promote the restoration of the CAF's C-47 That's All, Brother. In this video, Martin shares his personal D-Day story and expresses why this history is important and should not be forgotten.