Job C. Martin papers

Collection — Container: 00.0555 - Box 1

Identifier: 00.0555

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection contains the World War II 7th Infantry Division personal letters of U.S. Army Chaplain Assistant and Mess Sergeant Job C. Martin to his family in Pennsylvania. The collection also contains photographs and documents. Beginning with letters written while at the St. Fidelis Seminary in 1940 through his discharge in 1946, Martin discusses induction, basic training, anti-air training, reclassification, Pacific theater training in Ft. Ord, California, service in Oahu, the Philippines, Okinawa, and Seoul, Korea.

His letters numbering, on average, several per week, provide a unique insight into the daily life of a G.I. Though he does not discuss combat due to censorship issues, Martin’s observations on Army life and relationships between the Americans and post-war civilians in Okinawa and Seoul, indicate the joy of the war, but end also in trepidation of what was to come as Soviet troops occupied Korean territory and Americans, Martin included, began to imagine life after war. The letters primarily discuss the day to day life of Martin. While he mentions his participation in combat during the battle of Ryukyus, for which he was awarded a Combat Infantry Badge, other than to state he was sent back for “battle fatigue” Martin does not provide much detail on his combat experience. While in Seoul, Korea, Martin regularly discussed the treatment of Korean civilians, first negatively by the remaining Japanese forces and then poorly by American forces, which he blamed on senior officers who failed to curtail bad behavior. His observations also include discussions of USO and Red Cross morale facilities in Okinawa and Seoul. Throughout, Martin makes no secret of his belief that the war could have been avoided and his dislike of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s political choices.

Dates

Created: 1940-1946
Other: Majority of material found in 1943-1946
Other: Date acquired: 05/25/2000

Creator

Job C. Martin (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open to all researchers.

Conditions Governing Use

All requests for permission to quote, publish, broadcast or otherwise reproduce from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Associate Dean for Special Collections & Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Florida State University Libraries as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

Biographical or Historical Information

Job C. Martin was born on May 1, 1912, in Perryopolis, Pennsylvania. He attended St. Fidelis Catholic Seminary in Herman, Pennsylvania in 1940 and was drafted into the US Army December 1943. Martin served as a Chaplain's Assistant and Mess Sergeant in the 3rd Infantry Regiment until his discharge in April 1946. Upon discharge, he eventually returned home to Perryopolis where he died on August 19th, 2013.

The personal letters from Job C. Martin were sent to family members, primarily his parents and his sister, Mary (who served in the Women’s Army Corps) while Martin served as a Chaplain’s Assistant and Mess Sergeant in this US Army 7th Infantry Division from December 1943 to April 1946. He participated in the Southern Philippines Campaign and the Battle of Ryukyus before being part of the post-war occupation forces in Okinawa, Japan, and Seoul, Korea.

Note written by Jill E. Hopkins