--- title: "WWII 101st Airborne veteran Jim “Pee Wee” Martin dies at 101" date: "2022-09-13" modified: "2022-09-13" authors: - name: "Miguel Ortiz" job_title: "Senior Contributor, Army Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/miguelortiz/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-history/wwii-101st-airborne-veteran-jim-pee-wee-martin-dies-at-101/" categories: - "Army" - "Heroes" - "History" - "War History" --- # WWII 101st Airborne veteran Jim “Pee Wee” Martin dies at 101 ![An elderly man wearing a tan military-style jacket with patches and the name "Jim 'Pee Wee' Martin" embroidered on it, a blue tie, and a black cap with "101st Airborne Screaming Eagles" and an eagle emblem. He is touching the brim of his cap with his right hand. The background shows a vast, green landscape under a cloudy sky, with a colorful graffiti-covered surface in the foreground.]() Jim "Pee Wee" Martin made headlines in 2021 when he celebrated his 100th birthday with a jump fest. The WWII veteran was an original Toccoa paratrooper, having served in G Company, 3rd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. On September 11, 2022, Martin passed away at the age of 101. ![wwii veteran Jim "pee wee" martin in dress uniform]() **Martin was an original Toccoa paratrooper with the 506th PIR *(*Jim* "Pee Wee" Martin (G/506) Facebook)*** In 1942, Martin joined the Army [Airborne]() and trained at Camp Toccoa, Georgia. There, he earned his nickname "Pee Wee" for his small stature. After earning his jump wings, Martin went with the rest of the 506th PIR to England to prepare for the invasion and liberation of Europe. ![wwii veteran Jim "pee wee" martin in combat load]() **"Pee Wee" Martin was so nicknamed because he was the smallest and lightest trooper in his unit (Jim "Pee Wee" Martin (G/506) Facebook)** During WWII, Martin fought in Normandy during Operation Overlord, Holland during Operation Market Garden, and Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge. His combat career earned him a Purple Heart and several Bronze Star Medals. Towards the end of the war, Martin was with the 506th when the regiment liberated a concentration camp in Germany and seized Hitler's Bavarian home, the Berghof. ![wwii veteran Jim "pee wee" martin on his final trip to Currahee]() **Martin on his final trip to the top of Currahee Mountain (*Jim* "Pee Wee" Martin (G/506) Facebook)** Despite his incredible service, Martin remained humble when he returned home from the war. He settled back into his hometown of Sugarcreek Township, Ohio and married his wife, Donna. They were married for nearly 73 years until her passing in 2019. Martin worked as an advisor on the HBO miniseries *Band of Brothers* which brought his wartime service to light. In recognition of this, a Veteran's Memorial is being built in his hometown which will feature a larger-than-life statue of "Pee Wee" himself. At Martin's request, the memorial will include a plaque with the names of all of the men who served in the 506th PIR. ## Author Miguel Ortiz is a Senior Contributor for We Are The Mighty covering primarily military news and history with an emphasis on weapons technology. He is a former active duty Army officer and remains a member of the Army IRR. After commissioning through San Diego State University Army ROTC, Miguel served with the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, NY. He has written for We Are The Mighty since 2020, drawing from his passion for the military community and history. Miguel’s work has also been seen on Business Insider and The Blast. He remains an avid shooter, competing in local USPSA matches. Miguel’s other hobbies are traveling and watch collecting. ### Author social links [LinkedIn]()