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Gothic Serpent; 19 years later

by Jonn Lilyea••20

This is republished from 2008, but Operation Gothic Serpent was 19 years ago today. It’s lessons live on and we’re still waging a war that has it’s roots in that battle;

15 years ago today I lost a dear friend. Tim Martin and I showed up at the Reception Station in Fort Polk Louisiana – 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, then 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 discovered 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 known 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 Trooper went and took a picture of the brick 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.

And thanks to COB6 for reminding me to share it with you.

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20 thoughts on “Gothic Serpent; 19 years later”

  2. They’re not minting men of this caliber nearly enough these days, and that’s to you and the host of other vets on this site. To each and every one of you, I add my equally inadequate thank you.

  5. I wholeheartedly believe that no one is truly gone from this world who is remembered. Some of us would trade places with them. We cannot, and they would not have us do so. I sometimes imagine each saying, “Remember me with joy. Do not dwell on me in sorrow. Enjoy life. I can now see what you cannot. God bless.”

  6. Jonn, thank you for remembering Tim to us. I will say a prayer for him, his family and all of those, like you, who knew and loved him. Our nation is beyond blessed for having those like Tim who never questioned his service to our nation.

    Godspeed

  8. Home is the sailor, home from the sea
    And the hunter home from the hill.

    RIP, MSG Martin. May God continue to watch over your family.

  9. We have our lives because of what this man, and others like him, gave for us. Prayers out for MSG Martin, and for all of you.

  11. “Do not cry havoc, where you should but hunt with modest warrant.”

    HooYah ARMY MSG Martin.

  12. Thanks, Jonn. There are accounts of two amazing people that I will never tire: Rick Rescorla and Tim Martin.

    I put them in the same category for thier long legacy of service and devotion to their last breath.

    Towering accomplishments alway leave a long shadow. You were privileged to know such a man. And we are privileged to have you as a connection to Tim.

    I hope to meet Rick and Tim on Fiddlers’ Green someday.

  14. As General Patton famously said at the service for fallen soldiers, we should not be sorry that such men died, we should be grateful that they lived.

    Lead the way, Ranger.

    Martin

    (BTW, John, I’m another Paratrooper.net member, I posted under the same handle there for over 10 years until the site was closed late last year.)

  15. @14 martinjmpr Glad you remembered and posted Patton’s words of tribute; they are most fitting when remembering the loss of such warriors as Ranger Martin, particularly,

    “We should be grateful that they lived.”

    Airborne and Rest in Peace, Master Sergeant.

  18. Dammit Jonn…you’re making the screen on my phone go blurry. This was a generation before me, but my two real-life heroes died that day. RIP to an outstanding group of men

  19. “On behalf of a grateful nation” hardly covers the emotions that run through my mind these days when i read these articles.

    These men who represent service over self so completely they have made the ultimate sacrifice in that service are the steel upon which this nation was forged and today they are the steel that continues to breath life into the freedoms my family and I enjoy every day. I have not the words to express my eternal gratitude that such men have lived in my country in generations preceding mine, and in generations succeeding mine. It speaks volumes about the character of that 1% who continue to volunteer their service, my own time and tenure seem wholly inadequate in the face of men like these and the many of you who have given so much and asked so little.

    Thank you and God bless you all.

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