Flying Cross Finds its Way Home

I have a story to share of a returned medal from World War II.

Recently, I spoke with Bill Reynolds about an email he had received from a gentleman in San Francisco. This person had read The Signal’s veterans page that Bill had written about my husband, Capt. John R. Martin, a World War II navigator, shortly before his passing. The purpose of that email was an attempt to locate John Martin’s surviving heirs. As it turned out, this gentleman is a war medal collector and he decided to return medals that came into his possession that were engraved with military names by reaching out to locate the heirs.

About a week after the initial contact was made with Bill and my subsequent phone discussion with this good man, a FedEx driver delivered a package to my address. Inside was a military award case containing John’s Distinguished Flying Cross medal, ribbon and lapel pin. John’s name was inscribed on the medal’s back.

It remains a mystery to me as to why John did not have this medal in his possession. His other medals are on display inside a curio cabinet along with other World War II memorabilia from his service years of 1943-1945. John was a navigator on three B-29 super fortresses, navigating 30 successful bombing missions over Japan.

I am so grateful that Bill Reynolds thought to contact me and put me in touch with this person. It is such an honor to have this medal in my possession. I am so humbled and appreciative of the kind effort in returning my husband’s war medal to me, Capt. John R. Martin’s spouse. Thank you, Bill Reynolds, for an outstanding job. Mary R. Martin Canyon Country

Editor’s note: A feature story about Mrs. Martin and her husband’s returned medal appeared in the Oct. 5 edition of The Signal.