Harold M. Martin

Harold Montgomery Martin (January 28, 1896 – December 3, 1972) was an American naval aviator, commanding officer at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, and vice admiral in the United States Navy. After reaching the rank of vice admiral in 1951, Martin served as commander of United States First Fleet, United States Seventh Fleet, and later commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet until he retired in February 1956 as admiral in the U.S. Navy.

Education Martin was born on January 18, 1896, in Bay Mills, Michigan. Raised in Cairo, Illinois, he attended the University of Illinois. Martin was then appointed to the United States Naval Academy in 1915 and graduated in 1918. During his final year at the Naval Academy, he was captain of the Lacrosse team. Before reaching to the rank of vice admiral, Martin was assigned to Carrier Division near Okinawa Island on 23 March 1945. He served as commander of the U.S. navy Task Force 49, a military unit which was established primarily to support soviet operations. After the World War II ended, he served at various fleet/carrier air wings and carrier strike group, and later chief of naval for Air Technical Training branch.

In 1951, Martin was promoted to the three-star rank of vice admiral and served as commander of United States Pacific Fleet, including First as well as Seventh Fleet during the Korean War which he was assigned in 1952. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his actions as commander of the Seventh Fleet between March 1951 and February 1952. as a four-star admiral. Martin died on 3 December 1972 at Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.