Johnnie H. Martin, Jr. loved his Country and believed in the cause of freedom. He volunteered for the Army Air Force, because, "I don't want somebody else doing my fighting for me." He entered the military on November 10, 1942, at San Antonio, Texas. He was stationed at Blackland Army Air Field, Waco, Texas, Wichita Falls, Mineral Wells, and Harlingen, Texas, and took overseas training at Tonopah Army Air Field, Nevada. On November 26, 1944, Johnnie was on his fifteenth mission when the 491st, Squadrons 853rd, 854th, and 855th, were attacked by German fighters, and sixteen of the 27 Liberators were downed.

Johnnie's only child is wanting to contact William H. Mooney, Robert W. Simons, and Charles M. Scott, crewmembers who survived as POWs, as well as family members of the other KIAs: Thomas S. Tolin, Donald U. Romberger, Robert Richards, Harvey B. Duncan, Robert J. Burnett, and Theodore Raybould. If anyone has information on these persons, please contact the American War Orphans Network.