Edward Martin

1916 - 2015

Edward Martin

Virginia Beach - Edward Martin: officer and pilot in the Polish, French and Royal Air Force during the Second World War; passed away Monday June 8, 2015 at home. After emigration to the United States, where he became a U.S. citizen in 1960, he served as an electrical engineer until his retirement.

Tadeusz Martusewicz was born on 8 July, 1916 in Kaunas, Lithuania. He then moved with his father to eastern Poland, attending primary school in Wilno and high school in Ozsmian. In 1937 he was accepted into the Aviation Cadet School in Deblin. Upon completion of his training in 1939 as a bomber pilot and navigator. In September of that year Poland was attacked by Germany and then the Soviet Union. Lt. Martusewicz was captured by the Russian army but he escaped. Making his way to safety through the Balkan countries and Greece to France where he joined the Polish bomber wing. After the fall of France in June 1940, Tadeusz was evacuated to England where he enlisted in the Royal Air Force 305 and then 300 squadron. While the Battle of Britain was raging over England, Poles flying RAF bombers assisted in disrupting Hitler's preparations for a naval invasion across the channel. Flying a series of aircraft including the Vickers Wellington, Tadeusz completed 34 bombing missions from 1940-42. He then continued to serve as a flight training officer before returning to his studies. While completing his engineering degree at Battersea Polytechnic he met Patricia Anne Russell whom he married in the fall of 1946 in London, England.

After decommissioning Tadeusz obtained an additional diploma in electrical engineering from the University of London and became a naturalized British citizen in 1950. In 1952 he and his family emigrated to the United States of America where he began work with the Westinghouse Company in Buffalo, New York, moving to Ravenswood, West Virginia to work for Kaiser Aluminum finally to Celina, Ohio in 1964 to become chief electrical engineer for Stamco, Inc. in nearby New Bremen. His responsibilities involved travel around the world including Brazil, South Africa and India. On several occasions he returned to Poland and witnessed the emergence of his home country from the shadow of Soviet domination to democracy.

Tadeusz continued to serve as an engineering consultant while moving to Cincinnati,Ohio in 1985, before retiring to North Fort Meyers, Florida, and finally to Virginia Beach. Throughout his lifetime Edward never ceased to be a loving and supportive father, and a caring husband to his wife Patricia before her passing in 2004. In honor of his distinguished military service he was the recipient of several medals including the Cross of Valor, and the silver Vitruvi Militari. He is survived by his four children: Paul, Frances, Janet and John, nine grandchildren, and five great grandchildren.