Sergeant First Class Martin was mortally wounded as part of a convoy that became lost and was taken under fire. His gallantry in action was in keeping with the finest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect the highest credit upon himself and the United States Army.
Sergeant Martin is buried at Arlington National Cemetery next to Sergeant James Casey Joyce, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Georgia, who was killed at the same location and on the same date.

During his military service, SFC Timothy Griz L. Martin also served in 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment - Delta

MSG Timothy L. Martin was accustomed to the military life. He was the son of a career Air Force sergeant and traveled around the country before moving in with his grandmother in Aurora, Ind., at the age of 16.

http://battleofmogadishu.com/in-memoriam/died-in-somalia/timothy-martin

So his decision to join the military after graduating from Aurora High School in 1974 wasn't much of a surprise to his family. Before he was killed Oct. 3 while serving with Task Force ranger, Timothy Martin had an accomplished military career.

He was well-trained, having completed Airborne Ranger School, Jungle Warfare Training, Jumpmaster Training, Special Forces Qualifications, Combat Engineer, Special Forces Underwater Operations. His decorations included the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, two Meritorious Service Medals, Combat Infantryman Badge and Ranger tab.

Timothy Martin left behind his wife, Linda, and three girls when he left for Somalia. Before he deployed, he said he was thinking about retiring and starting a small business. He would have completed 20 years of active duty service in June.

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http://thisainthell.us/blog/?p=3617

No Man Left Behind
Jonn Lilyea | October 3, 2008


15 years ago today I lost a dear friend. Tim Martin and I showed up at the Reception Station in Fort Polk Louisana – I won’t mention the year, the fact that they were still doing Basic and Infantry AIT at Ft Polk should be enough to narrow it down for you. He was a huge, quiet and friendly guy and I felt lucky that we were attached alphabetically through those 16 weeks. I can’t count the times that I’d stumbled and looked up to see his outstretched hand to help me up.

After those 16 weeks, it four weeks together at the Basic Airborne Course in Georgia then he went to the 2d Ranger Battalion at Lewis and I went to Fort Stewart (yes, the 1st Battalion was actually on Fort Stewart in those days). We went off in our separate directions for four years and then ended up in the same SFQC class at Fort Bragg – alphabetically attached once again. After that six months, we rarely saw each other, but each time we met, the conversation picked up right where it had left off the last time.

I’ve never met anyone who ever met him that had a bad word for him. He loved the Army, and later I learned he loved his family more.

I found out his final fate on October 18th, 1993 while I was leaving my last duty station as a retired soldier when I read the casualty list from what is now down as the “Blackhawk Down” fiasco and found his name.

I spent the next seven years trying to find out what happened to him. I became a member of the fine Paratrooper.net forum, run by my good friend Mark (back when Mark and I were the only participating members). As the forum grew, I put together bits and pieces of the story and some wonderful soul sent his wife Linda my way. She sent me pictures of him which I’ve put on my accompanying website as a memorial to Master Sergeant Tim “Griz” Martin.

The movie Blackhawk Down did a great job capturing his personality and immortalizing his love for his daughters.

Another friend at paratrooper.net, 509thTrooper, helped me get Tim a brick at the Ranger Memorial in Fort Benning. Then he went and took a picture of it for me.


I stop and visit with Tim at Arlington at least twice every year on Veterans’ Day and Memorial Day and every Christmas when I make my rounds there. And every day I give thanks for men like Tim Martin who are willing to put everything on the line for the rest of us. But today, especially, I save for Tim. And for Linda and their girls who sacrificed everything for us as well.

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FROM:
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/tlmartin.htm

Courtesy of Linda Martin Anderson:

I found your website while doing some research on my husband, Master Sergeant Timothy Lynn Martin, and would like to tell you how wonderful I think it is that you have done this. It is a great tribute to all of our fallen heroes.

However, there are a few mistakes in his bio that you may not be aware of.

My husband graduated from High School in 1974. He joined the Army December 31, 1974. He was a Ranger stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington, until he was transferred to Special Forces at Fort Devens, Massachusetts, (where I met him). He became a Delta Force Commando in 1980, at which point we both moved to North Carolina. We spent 2 years in Okinawa (1989-1991), Japan and then returned to The Unit in 1991. He left for Somalia on August 27th, 1993. He was killed in action on October 3, 1993.

We have three daughters, Diana Lynn, Katherine Rose and Jessica Faye, who were 9, 7 and 4 years of age when their father died.

My husbands family in Indiana do not have any authority to speak of his life after he left Aurora. It is doubtful that much, if any, of it is credible.

My daughters and I have returned to Massachusetts to be near family.

---
From a contemporary press report:
October 6, 1993: AURORA, Indiana - Timothy L. Martin will be remembered in the town where he grew up as an Army hero who volunteered for dangerous duty in Somalia one year before he was to retire. The life of the 38-year-old Army master sergeant was one of determination to follow his dream of a military career, friends and family say.

"He was a hero. The military was his life and that's what he wanted to do. He wanted to jump out of airplanes," said Debbie Brunner, of Aurora, who become friends with Martin soon after his graduation from Aurora High School in 1974.

Martin, who last lived in Aurora 20 years ago, was a Special Forces instructor who died Sunday (October 3, 1993) along with 11 other U.S. soldiers in a clash with Somalians loyal to warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid.

After nearly 20 years in the service, Martin had already begun planning for civilian life when he was called to duty in Somalia. "He was going to retire next year," said his cousin, Nancy Dovenbarger, who described his plans for a small business in Fayetteville, North Carolina, where he was stationed at Fort Bragg.

Martin's death has Aurora residents thinking hard about U.S. involvement in Somalia. "People were talking about it this morning at the restaurant," said Mark Brunner as he worked the counter of Aurora's downtown hardware store. "I think we should get out of there."

Martin's body was to arrive Thursday in Fayetteville, where he lived with his wife, Linda, and their 3 daughters, Diana Lynn, Katherine Rose and Jessica Faye Martin.ages 9, 7 and 4. Plans were being made for memorial services Friday at Fort Bragg, the family said.

Ms. Dovenbarger said he would be buried at Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington, DC. A Martin is survived by his wife, Linda, and three daughters, Diana, Sara and Jessica.

July 9, 1955-October 3, 1993.

MARTIN, TIMOTHY LYNN
Synopsis:

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Silver Star Medal (Posthumously) to Timothy Lynn Martin, Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against hostile enemy forces while serving with the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment - Delta, Task Force RANGER, Special Operations Command, during combat operations in Mogadishu, Somalia, on 3 and 4 October 1993.

Sergeant First Class Martin was mortally wounded as part of a convoy that became lost and was taken under fire. His gallantry in action was in keeping with the finest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect the highest credit upon himself and the United States Army.

Sergeant Martin is buried next to Sergeant James Casey Joyce, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Georgia, who was killed at the same location and on the same date.
Arlington National Cemetery, Section 60, Grave 5790.