Born and raised on the farm of his parents, John L. Martin, Sr. and Blanche (Wheeler) Martin, in Fairforest near Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Attended Clemson College, earned his Private Pilot license, and in July 1940 enlisted in the Army Air Corps as a Flying Cadet.

After Primary flight training at Hicks Field, Basic at Randolph Field, and Advanced at Kelly Field, he graduated in Class 41-B and was commissioned (14 March 1941) Second Lieutenant as a flying instructor.

In April 1944, he began duty overseas as a B-29 pilot and combat crew commander in the 444th Bombardment Group (VH), of the 58th Bombardment Wing (the first B-29 unit to enter combat). He served concurrently as operations officer of the 677th Bomb Squadron. He flew 14 combat missions in the China-Burma-India (CBI) theater and 30 trips across the Himalayas to stock-pile fuel and bombs at a forward base in China.

In March 1945, he returned to Randolph Field and served as a B-29 training group commander until the war ended in August.

John Landrum Martin, Jr.