MARTIN N. TULL, CAPT, USMC
Martin Tull '60
Lucky Bag
From the 1960 Lucky Bag:
MARTIN NELSON TULL
Pryor, Oklahoma
After a year of collegiate ease, Marty gave up the dusty Oklahoma plains to see the sea via USNA. The conversion was complete; he actually saw the light and became an enthusiastic booster of Navy line. Academics were merely a necessary evil put up with between football seasons and hard work for the BAC. Tecumseh's adornment and the messhall posters have often shown the Tull touch during the past four years. Marty devoted his leftover time to plotting the capture of the current "world's most beautiful woman." No bull session was complete without a contribution from Marty and his classmates were assured of a good time by his presence. The spirit and enthusiasm that he has will be more than welcome throughout his career in Navy Blue.
MARTIN NELSON TULL
Pryor, Oklahoma
After a year of collegiate ease, Marty gave up the dusty Oklahoma plains to see the sea via USNA. The conversion was complete; he actually saw the light and became an enthusiastic booster of Navy line. Academics were merely a necessary evil put up with between football seasons and hard work for the BAC. Tecumseh's adornment and the messhall posters have often shown the Tull touch during the past four years. Marty devoted his leftover time to plotting the capture of the current "world's most beautiful woman." No bull session was complete without a contribution from Marty and his classmates were assured of a good time by his presence. The spirit and enthusiasm that he has will be more than welcome throughout his career in Navy Blue.
Loss
Martin was killed in action near Quang Nam, South Vietnam, on May 19, 1937 when his unit’s position was hit by mortar fire. He was commanding officer of Artillery Battery D, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division.
Other Information
From Shipmate, November 1967:
Services were held at Ft. Myer Chapel, with interment in Arlington National Cemetery. Captain Tull was born in Ada, OK, and graduated from the Naval Academy in 1960. After basic training at Quantico, VA, he was assigned for three years to the Kaneohe Marine Corps Air Station at Hawaii, where he was with the 3RD BATTALION, 12TH MARINES. For two years he was a gunnery instructor at Ft. Sill, OK. He was assigned to Vietnam in September 1966 as an official observer for the 2ND BATTALION, 11TH MARINES. In April of this year he became commanding officer of Delta Battery.
He is survived by his widow, Cecile Marie, the daughter of LTCOL and Mrs. P. H. McArdle, a son, Martin, Jr., and a daughter Laura Ann, of Potomac, MD, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Cecil E. Tull of North Little Rock, AR; a grandfather, Mr. Walter Nelson Henry of Ada, OK, and a grandmother, Mrs. Gertie Tull of Maysville, OK.
Martin is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Photographs
From the November 1967 issue of Shipmate.
Remembrances
From Wall of Faces:
Capt. Tull was my CO. I was 18 years old when wounded by the same mortar barrage that killed him throughout my life when serious bad things happened, like my wife miscarrying, complications from my agent orange diabetes or arthritis in my wounded knee, I stop the pity party by thinking how glad Capt. Tull would be to trade places. In good times when I am enjoying my children and grandchildren I think of him and sometimes shed a tear for all he missed, or all that never would have been if one or two shells been ten feet to the right.
RIP Skipper
Semper Fi, JOHN VONDERHAAR, 7/7/14
Marty Tull was one of my father's best friends and I was named for him after he died. My parents have some great pictures of Marty as the Best Man at their wedding. I ended up becoming a Marine too and have served for almost 23 years so far. The US Naval Academy Class of 1960 established a scholarship fund in Marty's name for the Naval Academy Prep School this year (2011). MARTIN LEWIS, USMCMUSTANG89@YAHOO.COM, 11/2/11
Marty was a year ahead of me at the Naval Academy. He was tough when I was a plebe, but we became friends as the years went by. One of my fondest memories is when he returned to the Academy for a visit after graduation. He told me I had to join the Marines and went on and on about how great the Corps was. He was the primary reason I did.
We served together in Hawaii, with 3/12 in the 1st Marine Brigade and he was my oldest son's Godfather. He became a Marine also. DREW MCFADDEN, USMC 61-65, DREWMCFADDEN@AOL.COM, 1/25/06
Capt. Tull was my S-3 officer when I got back to Vietnam in 1967. A short time later he was reassigned to command one of the artillery batteries.
Shortly after this we were called to conduct an operation on the Laotian border. This was near a city called Heip Duc. The name of the operation was "Operation Union". Capt. Tull's battery was flown in to a position to cover the infantry troops with artillery fire if needed.
After about 2 weeks in the field a major and I flew in a chopper to his position. After the operation was ended, it was decided to form a combat outpost in the Queson Valley.
Capt Tull came back to the base camp. We took several troops and went to the nearby river to bathe. Half of us took to the water while the others stood guard. Capt Tull and I were laying there in the rapids and laughing about what our family would think if they saw us laying there in the rapids naked.
I went back to Tam Ky and he was killed in a mortar attack early the next morning.
From your friend and fellow Marine GySgt Marion D.[Dale] Phelps, 6/2/00
Capt. Tull, you were a very understanding person. You had the rare talent of being intelligent and having common sense at the same time. You would have gone far. I guess I was the lucky one that horrible day. I only hope that I can make a little difference in the lives of others, because of the influences that you had on me. I know that whatever you chose to do it would have been done well. You were a great leader. You have made me a better person. And you are missed. Semper Fi, S/Sgt. Jim Newlin JIM NEWLIN, 12/2/98
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