CG Aviation Assn Media

During the course of collecting and researching history information, the Ptero History Committee found a Search and Rescue (SAR) summary report about a crash of Belgian Sabena Airliner Charlie Baker George in Newfoundland near Gander. The story evoked interest. It was the world’s first major airline crash, and at the end of WWII, helicopter development funding had been terminated by the government and all helicopters ordered to desert storage. Development and operation of seaplanes had been a long hard fought battle for Coast Guard seaplane pilots. They viewed the new helicopter as a threat, and gave little resistance to the cut in its government funding. All but two Coast Guard helicopters, a HNS and a HOS, had been disassembled and in crates destined for the bone yard. Most significant was the two USCG early helicopters were torn down and transported to Newfoundland by USAF C-54 aircraft where they were restored to flying condition and flown by the Coast Guard to rescue 18 survivors of the crash. Since the reports and official records were focused on the mission there was little to encourage any additional interest – except, one statement by LT August Kleisch, USCG helicopter pilot. He made a rather matter of fact statement that an Army doctor named Martin had been at the site giving medical aid. Dr. Martin’s insistence on helicopter evacuation for survivors resulted in a major successful joint rescue operation saving the eighteen survivors and restoring helicopter operation and development.

All this spawned an inquiry about Dr. Martin. Who was he? Where did he come from? What had he accomplished there at the site? Was he still alive? What happened to him after the rescue?

We learned that he was a special man and doctor. He was respected in every way as a doctor, a teacher, a citizen and a human being. He had died in Gainesville, Florida at age 80 of lymphoma. He had three children, Dr. Samuel Preston Martin IV, Dr. William Barry Martin, and Dr. Celia Martin.

Dr. Willam Martin was found practicing as an Orthodontist along with his sister, Celia in Gainesville, Florida while the other son is a surgeon, practicing in Orlando. Interesting to note that Dr. Samuel P. Martin III’s father and grandfather were doctors and that on his mother’s side of the family 15 of 17 children were doctors in Tennessee. The apple does not fall far from the tree.

In the conversation with Dr, Martin’s son, William, we found that Dr. Martin had received no recognition for what he had done at the crash site except from the Belgium Government. As Dr. William Martin put it, “He did get some recognition from the Girl Scouts.” He received no recognition from the Army, the Coast Guard or the Canadian Government.

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