Ensign
United States Navy
Michael Thomas Martin, the only son of Thomas R. and Janet Dietrick Martin, was born on 18 October 1952, in Burlington, Iowa.
Michael graduated from Burlington High School in 1970 and from Iowa State University in 1974 with a degree in Marine Biology.
While attending Iowa State University, Michael enrolled in the United States Navy’s Reserve Officer Training Commission (ROTC) program and eventually earned his commission as an Ensign. A qualified deep sea diver, Michael served as operations officer aboard the USS Opportune, a Navy salvage vessel home-ported in Little Creek, Virginia.
Michael arrived home on 5 August 1976, to begin a two week leave. On Friday, 6 August, Michael left for Ames, Iowa to visit his fiancée, Jill Helland, whom he had met while attending Iowa State University. Unfortunately, Michael never made it to Ames. He was involved in a multi-vehicle accident on U.S. Highway 61 four miles south of Wapello, Iowa. Michael died at the scene of the accident.
He was a member of the First United Methodist church and the Order of the Sexton.
Surviving were his parents; three sisters, Stephanie, with the United States Navy in Hawaii, and Sydney and Shelley, both at home; his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Murrill Martin and Mr. and Mrs. Mack Dietrick, all of Burlington.
Ensign Michael Thomas Martin, United States Navy, was buried in Burlington’s Aspen Grove Cemetery.
A memorial scholarship was established at Southeastern Community College.
Source of information:
1. The Burlington Hawk-Eye, 8 August 1976, pages 1 and 22.
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