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MARTINEZ, GILIVALDO A., JR.
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Casualty
Record
Name:
MARTINEZ, GILIVALDO A., JR.
Rank / Branch:
SSG E-5 U.S. ARMY
Date of Birth:
1944-10-13
Country
of Loss:
SOUTH VIETNAM
Loss
Coordinates:
II CORP NEAR DMZ
Status:
HOSTILE DIED MISSING
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground:
UH-1D
Awards & Decorations:
SEE BIO
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Veteran
Hagiography
GILIVALDO A. MARTINEZ, JR. STAFF SERGEANT, U.S. ARMY, LAMESA, DAWSON COUNTY, TEXAS
AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Army Aviation Crew Wings, Combat Medic’s Badge, Purple Heart, Air Medal with "V" device, Army Commendation's Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Military Merit Medal
BIOGRAPHY
Gilivaldo Martinez went by his nickname of Gil. His family knew him by his middle name of Armando. He was born in Riverside, California, the son of Pauline Samora and Gilvado A. Martinez Sr. His father was in the military and was stationed in California at the time. He was raised in Clovis, New Mexico and Lamesa, Texas. He attended schools in both communities. He graduated from Lamesa High School and went into the Army on October 16, 1962. He completed basic training at Fort Polk, Louisiana and then trained as a medic at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He served as a medic at Fort Hood, Texas and then was reassigned to Fort Sam Houston, Texas where he received air ambulance training. He was an original member of the 498th Medical Company when the unit mobilized to Vietnam August 17, 1965.
The 498th arrived in country in mid September 1965 and were made a part of the First Log Command under the command structure. The unit provided medical evacuation services to units operating in the northern part of Vietnam. The 498th was divided into different areas of operation. Gil was attached to an element operating out of Quin Nhon. On November 11, 1965, he was a part of a medical evacuation of a wounded Korean. The helicopter tail number 64-13631 received ground fire and crashed killing Specialist Martinez and two other crewman.
Specialist Five Martinez received a posthumous promotion to Staff Sergeant and was awarded the Purple Heart, Army Commendation's Medal, the Air Medal with "V" device and also received the Vietnam Military Merit Medal. He was buried with full military honors. He was survived by his parents, his sister, Cynthia and brothers Fred and Leroy. His father, Gilivaldo A. Martinez, Sr. passed away October 15, 2006 and was buried with full military honors in the Mission of Memorie's Cemetery in Clovis, New Mexico.
Mission of Memorie's Cemetery, Clovis, New Mexico
VIRTUAL WALL
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