Private First Class Henry Martinez

Early Life

Henry Martinez was born on May 19, 1931, in La Coste, Texas and grew up as the youngest of eight siblings in poverty. Mr. Martinez’s birth certificate is incorrect. Due to language barriers, his name is listed as Enerique Martinez, and should be Enrique. His mother’s last name is misspelled as Salazer and should be Salazar. The color of his parents are listed as Mexican. Mr. Martinez experienced many challenges throughout his life being a racial minority with language barriers.

His father, Alvino Martinez, was known as a jack of all trades, cowboy, and a hard worker as a textile mill employee to provide meager funds for his family. His mother, Maria Martinez, was a housewife who cooked homemade meals daily. Martinez held a paper route for the Houston Chronicle that earned 50 cents an hour to support his family. He recalled, “What I made I was happy to give [the money] to my mother and father. We were poor and I wanted to take the next step forward. When my brothers went off to the service, I took over their routes.” 

Martinez looked up to his older brothers who fought in World War II. He recalled:

While I was growing up I wanted to do everything my brothers did, but they always told me I was too young. My world changed on 7 December 1941, when Pearl Harbor was bombed and we were at war. My oldest brother, some cousins, my brother-in-law, and their friends were going off to war. Eventually, all three brothers served in the Army.

He checked the Houston Chronicle daily to keep up with events of World War II and hoped to get news about his brothers’ service. 

School was difficult for Henry Martinez as his parents primarily only spoke Spanish. They did not feel comfortable and could not communicate with school officials. Martinez explained, “My parents were from Mexico and they were lucky to do what they did and had to do to be here. They spoke English very little and they didn’t know the rules if somebody was trying to beat me up or kick me out of school. They didn’t know how to complain and go to the principal.” 

Martinez recalled that teachers did not call on him in class because of his race and therefore he did not learn much at school: “The teacher, she never called me to answer anything. She just put me down. I didn’t hate her because I didn’t know what hate was. All were Anglos, I was the only Hispanic in that room. They didn’t like us at the time.” He was bullied in high school and took up boxing as a sport to combat his bullies. Martinez faced blatant racism and decided to drop out of high school to join the military at the tender age of 16. 

Martinez vividly remembered his time joining the military underage. He recalled:

My brothers returned after the war, but I had made up my mind to enlist. I went to the Army recruiting office before my 16th birthday and was told to come back in two years. In September 1947, I decided to try again. I was 16 and my friend was 15. We wanted to enlist in the Army Air Forces, but the recruiting sergeant told us the Air Force has split from the Army. He looked at us rather strangely, but told us to go ahead and take the written test. We passed the test and he gave us some forms for our parents to sign. We were never asked for our birth certificates. My mother refused to sign the papers. I did some tall talking and finally my father agreed to sign. After about two hours of discussion, my mother finally agreed to sign. My friend’s parents also wouldn’t sign at first, but finally did. That afternoon, 9 September 1947, we went back to the recruiting office with the signed forms. We were sworn in and the sergeant exclaimed, ‘You are now in the Army!’ 

This statement would launch a tremendous military career for Henry Martinez. 

Homefront

Post World War II, Houston saw lots of commercial development as well manufacturing; the Korean War era was no different. The Chamber of Commerce in Houston at the time claimed Houston was, “America’s Industrial Frontier.” In 1951, the Executive Vice President of the Houston, Texas Chamber of Commerce declared, “I feel strongly that Houston and the entire Gulf Coast area are on the threshold of another great period of industrial growth and expansion which will be influenced to a great measure by the present national emergency.”

The Houston area contributed heavily to the Korean War effort through the manufacturing of goods and weapons. The Cameron Iron Works in Houston manufactured jet engines and airplane parts during the Korean War. The chemistry industry also saw the creation of aluminum and rubber plants. Aluminum and rubber produced went into jet production.

Entertainment in Houston, Texas during the 1950’s was unlimited and very diverse. Mariachi was a popular entertainment choice for nightclub fun to escape war woes. Mariachi is a Mexican style of music that typically includes guitars, trumpets, and violins. Patrons to Mariachi clubs wear traditional fashions from Mexico and participate in traditional dancing.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo was a major annual event in Houston, starting in 1932. During the 1940’s and 1950’s, musical entertainment included Gene Autry and Roy Rodgers. During these eras, this venue was known as the Fat Stock Show and Livestock Exposition. The 1940’s was the first decade to include a calf scramble and musical performances. In the 1950’s, the rodeo started to give away educational scholarships for winners of selected categories of rodeo events.

Military Experience

Henry Martinez enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1947 at age 16. He enlisted with a friend and they both lied about their age to gain entry in the military. Basic training took place at Fort Ord, California. This was Martinez’s first time to leave the state and to ride on a train. He recalled, “I had never been out of Texas and had only left Houston to go to San Antonio to visit relatives, but now I was going to California!” 

In January 1948, Martinez deployed to Inchon, Korea and was assigned to the 154^th Transportation Port Company as a cargo checker. He specifically did a lot of loading and unloading of military supplies and cargo. Mr. Martinez relayed, “The weather was cold and miserable. We worked at the Inchon docks, loading supply ships. For miles, all you could see was mud, mud, and more mud.” 

During breaks and free time, Henry Martinez dreamed about going home. He recalled:

I was still 16, so I decided to write my mother and see if somehow she could get me out of that miserable place. I had never been so cold, and we really didn’t have proper clothes. While I was sitting there and thinking and writing my letter, my sergeant came in and said that they were forming baseball teams and I would be a pitcher. That was the last time I thought about trying to get out.

Sports made military life more bearable for Martinez and he continued his military journey. He recalled feeling sorry for poor, impoverished Koreans, especially the children. He remembered visiting children at an orphanage run by Catholic nuns and giving the children candy. 

The next stop for Martinez was Japan in January 1949. He remarked, “What a beautiful country! It was heaven to us. We formed baseball teams. We had a great time while it lasted. We just didn’t know what the future held.” During this time frame, he continued his job as a cargo checker.

In May 1950, Martinez had orders to return stateside, when North Korea invaded South Korea on June 25, 1920. “My sergeant did not know what to do with me. I was still scheduled to go home. I decided to go with my buddies, although they told me I was crazy and didn’t know what I was doing.” The landed in Korea just days after the invasion began. 

For a month and a half in Korea, Martinez saw combat. He recalled, “I was scared, really scared. I saw the miseries of war that summer, plus the weather was 105 to 115 degrees in the shade. It was very hot and very wet.” 

In August 1950, Martinez was

 . . . going home and would be discharged in a month. When the time came, I reported to the Pusan Perimeter where hundreds of GIs were lining up to go back to the states. Soon a whistle sounded and the captain of the ship announced, ‘Now hear this, now hear this: Mr. Harry Truman, the President of the United States, has just given you one more year, a 1 year extension. Please report to your units.’ When I reported back to my company commander, he said, ‘I just can’t get rid of you!’

Martinez’s main job in Korea was to deliver supplies to the front line. In the Pusan Perimeter campaign, Martinez had the task of finding pill boxes and using napalm to destroy the area and anything that could be of use to the enemy in freezing temperatures. The average Korean winter weather was 20 to 30 degrees below zero. Martinez remarked, “The worst part of the whole thing was the cold weather—30 or 40 below zero,” he said. “We didn’t have winter clothing, and there was no place where we could warm up.”

After leaving the Pusan Perimeter, Martinez’s unit headed north towards Pyongyang. Along the way, his unit stopped at Kimpo Airport. Here he recalled:

When we entered the mess hall, the sergeant and two officers came to me and asked if I spoke Spanish. I said I did, and they describe a Korean serving at the chow line. They said that if he spoke Spanish to me, to give him false information. When I came face-to-face with the Korean, he asked me in Spanish if I spoke Spanish, and I said that I did. He then proceeded to ask in Spanish where we were going. I knew the area quite well because I had been stationed at Inchon in 1948, so I told him that our convoy was going south to the Port of Inchon with supplies. He asked why we were not going north, and I told him we were just following orders. As I walked away and was ready to sit down to eat, the officers looked at me and I nodded my head in a ‘yes’ motion. 

Before I had even set my tray down, the sergeant told me to step outside. They wanted me to identify the Korean to make sure that he was the one who asked me where we were going. He was the same guy, but the ROK [Republic of Korea] MPS [military police] had beaten him to a pulp. The Korean officer told me that he was a very dangerous spy.

Martinez’s unit continued north past the 38^th parallel to Pyongyang. Martinez recalled, “General McArthur said that we would be going home by Christmas, but the day after Thanksgiving, the Chinese intervened.” At Pyongyang, he saw frozen bodies everywhere, Chinese and American soldiers alike. He continued his job getting supplies to front lines while in combat zones. 

His unit retreated back to the Pusan Perimeter and continued his duty until he returned stateside in June 1951. He was discharged from the Army at Fort Bliss, Texas on August 1, 1951. He was only 20 years old. Martinez reflected, “I don’t regret going into the Army so young. I learned so much, and I had such unbelievable experiences.” 

Veteran Experience

Henry Martinez settled back home in Houston, Texas, after the Korean War. He stated that he wanted to visit his parents first when he got back from the Korean War. The first place his parents took him was to church. He then reunited with friends and his girlfriend, Eva. 

Martinez married Eva Alicia Mena on October 11, 1953. They had known each other since they were six years old.  They had three children together, Sylvia, Stefanie and Carlos, and 12 grandchildren. 

Martinez worked in the glass industry and enjoyed his career until retirement. Post retirement, he was heavily involved in sharing his military story and active in Veteran organizations and events. He was a proud member of the American Legion Post #416 as a Color Guard Commander and the Texas Lone Star Chapter of the Korean War Veterans Association. Through these organizations, he visited schools, attended veteran funerals, and advocated for Korean War memorials. 

Martinez suffered from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and joining the American Legion helped him cope. One of his favorite events was the Houston Astros baseball games to honor Veterans. He organized Korean War Prisoners of War, Medal of Honor recipients, women who served, as well as others to  throw out the first pitch for the Houston Astros baseball team. Henry also participated and gathered Veterans to attend airshows, local community parades, and coordinated Veterans to be at funerals for service members. Martinez stated his reasons for his volunteer service:

It’s a tough thing to discuss. I’m for the troops. And yes, we’d love to see our troops come home, but we have a duty to do now. We don’t want to have another Vietnam in our hands again. War is hell. And nobody wants to be in it, but as long as we have a service, we have to support our troops.

“We do a lot of great programs,” he said. “We go around to the schools and present historical programs. We have a color guard, and any time a Korean War veteran passes away, we will go out there and be there for them in the funeral.” The organization successfully lobbied the Legislature to designate Texas 6 as the Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway. The group also raised funds to erect a small memorial at the U.S. Veterans National Cemetery in Houston to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the Korean War. 

Private First Class Henry Martinez received several awards for his military service in the Korean War throughout his life. He earned two Presidential Unit Citations among numerous service medals from various organizations to celebrate his service. 

Commemoration

Mr. Henry Martinez passed away on February 12, 2020. He is buried at the National Houston Cemetery in Houston, Texas.

Bibliography

Primary Sources

Activation of 4th Infantry Division – Changing of the Colors – Ford Ord, Calif. Photographic Postcard. Digital Commons at the California State University Monterey Bay Library. https://digitalcommons.csumb.edu/fortord_images/18/.  

Ashburn’s 1947 Houston City Map. Map. 1947. Municipal Map Collection 1921 thru 1950, Harris County Archives. https://www.harriscountyarchives.com/Maps/imgZ.html?img=img8.  

“Brown County Youths Take Prizes at Houston Livestock Show, Rodeo.” Brownwood Bulletin [Brownwood, TX], February 18, 1953. Newspapers.com (6686492). 

Carlos Martinez. Texas, U.S. Birth Index, 1903-1997. Digital images. https://ancestry.com/. 

“Florence Regency Gas Range Advertisement.” Bryan-College Station Eagle [Bryan, TX], July 21, 1950. Newspapers.com (1001005933). 

Henry Martinez, DD-214, Department of the Army. National Archives and Records Administration – St. Louis.

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Henry Martinez Collection. Oral History. March 30, 2016. Veterans History Project, Library of Congress (AFC/2001/001/104669). https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.104669/.    

Henry Martinez Collection. Oral History. July 10, 2017. Veterans History Project, Library of Congress (AFC/2001/001/111007). https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.111007/.   

Houston 1940 Downtowner Map. Map. 1940. Maps Collection Houston Public Library Digital Archives (map0013). https://cdm17006.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/maps/id/27/rec/6.  

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Richie, Robert Yarnall. Cameron Iron Works, Houston, Texas. Photograph. February 1948. Southern Methodist University Libraries (Ag1982.0234). https://digitalcollections.smu.edu/digital/collection/ryr/id/692/rec/7.  

“Roy Aldridge.” Oral History. Korean War Legacy Foundation. Accessed January 3, 2025. https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/roy-aldridge/.  

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Sylvia Martinez. Texas, U.S. Birth Index, 1903-1997. Digital images. https://ancestry.com/.  

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View of Downtown Houston from the Gulf Building. Photograph. c.1930s. University of Houston Digital Collections. https://digitalcollections.lib.uh.edu/concern/images/5q47rp31x?locale=en. 

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Garza, Natalie. “Desde Conjunto to Chingo Bling: Mexican American Music and Musicians in Houston.” Houston History, November 20, 2023: 2–6. https://houstonhistorymagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Desde-Conjunto-to-Chingo-Bling.pdf. 

“Henry Martinez.” Dignity Memorial. Accessed November 27, 2024. https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/houston-tx/henry-martinez-9036053.  

“Henry Martinez.” Find a Grave. Updated February 14, 2020. Accessed November 15, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/207114327/henry-martinez.  

“Henry Martinez.” National Cemetery Administration. Accessed October 5, 2024. https://www.cem.va.gov/nationwide-gravesite-locator/.  

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This profile was funded by a grant from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. The opinions, findings, and conclusions stated herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.