| Ranger
Martin O. Tomlin was born 1 January 1948 in Gadsden, Alabama. He entered
military service in 1969 and graduated from Ranger Class 9-70. Shortly
after completing Ranger School, Martin transferred to Vietnam and was
assigned to D Troop 2/17th Air Cavalry of the 101st Airborne Division.
In July 1970, shortly after my arrival in
Vietnam, I met SSG Martin O. Tomlin for the first time, as he became my
platoon sergeant of 3rd Platoon, D Troop 2/17th Cav. I immediately liked
what I saw in him and respected the fact he was a Ranger.
From July 1970 until he departed Vietnam
in early 1971, SSG Tomlin was my right arm and trusted platoon sergeant.
Together we conducted over 50 combat missions deep into hostile enemy
territory often to rescue helicopter pilots who had been shot down or
extract Ranger Teams in contact with a larger enemy force.
He was always a model Non Commissioned
Officer. He set high standards and was fearless in combat. While
intolerant of excuses, he always took great care of our soldiers and
lead by example. I recall a time
when we were alerted for a four-hour mission in the Roung Roung Valley
in Northern I Corps. This was supposed to be a quick in and out mission.
We rappelled in from hovering helicopters. However, the weather changed
abruptly and we became stranded deep in enemy territory and well outside
the range of artillery support. During this time, we were constantly
rained on and probed continually by the enemy. We had only one ration
each to survive on. We were in a grim situation. After a few miserable
days, I remember SSG Tomlin saying, "Hell, this ain't as tough as Ranger
School. No RI’s are yelling at us." Six days later we finally got out,
thanks to some heroic efforts. But I reflect back on that moment. That
is what Ranger training is all about; preparing soldiers to stand up
under the worst possible combat conditions.
Ranger Martin O. Tomlin epitomized the
Ranger Creed. He loved this Camp and traveled here from Oklahoma last
October to attend a Mountain Ranger Association meeting. It was a high
point for me to see him again. Unfortunately, he passed away suddenly on
7 May 2009 at his home in Norman, Oklahoma. He is survived by his wife,
Christina, stepson Ethan, stepdaughter Elise and his brother Donald
Tomlin.
SSG Martin O. Tomlin earned numerous
awards during his service to include the Bronze Star with "V" device,
Air Medal, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, MAC-V Recondo Brand #3017, parachutist
badge and the coveted Ranger Tab. He is missed by all who knew him.
Martin, I will see you on the high ground!
Submitted by Robert Suchke |
