What is believed to be the last remaining paratrooper who fought in the heroic regiment immortalised in the Band of Brothers TV series has died at the age of 101.
Private Jim ‘Pee Wee’ Martin parachuted into Nazi-occupied France with the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) ahead of the D-Day landings.
He went on to jump into Holland for Operation Market Garden, fought in the Battle of the Bulge and helped capture Adolf Hitler’s ‘Eagle’s Nest’ mountain-top retreat.
All of these operations were famously featured in Steven Spielberg’s epic mini-series that was released 21 years ago.
Private Martin died peacefully at his home in Ohio, US, on Sunday.
It is thought that he was the last survivor of the 506th regiment, whose E ‘Easy’ Company featured in the HBO series.
One of his eight grandchildren, Jodi Puterbaugh, today paid tribute to the Second World War veteran.
Ms Martin, 51, who cared for her grandfather in his final years, said: “He passed away peacefully in his sleep without a struggle.
“He’ll be remembered as a humble and simple man who always made sure his family were provided for.
“He loved nature and he would feed the squirrels and deer every day.
“He never wanted to take the credit himself or to be known as a hero - he’d always say he was just doing what he was trained to do.
"He wanted to make sure the others were remembered instead.”
Pte Martin joined the US paratrooper regiment in May 1942, a few months after America entered the war following the attack on Pearl Harbour.
He was one of the original ‘Taccoa Men’, the recruits who trained at the paratrooper camp in Taccoa, Georgia. The camp featured in the first episode of Band of Brothers.
After arriving in England in September, 1943, he completed his pre-invasion training in Ramsbury, Wilts.
He served in G Company of the 506th PIR which fought alongside Easy Company throughout the war.
On the night of June 5, 1944, he landed behind Utah Beach ‘right on top’ of four divisions of German Panzergrenadiers who began firing at them.
They fought through as the ground became littered with bodies.
The paratroopers were tasked to clear a route to the Normandy beaches for the invading Allied forces.
During the Battle of the Bulge in the freezing Ardennes Forest surgeons wished to amputate his feet after he developed severe frostbite, but he refused and later recovered.
Pte Martin kept in contact with his fellow servicemen after the war, hosting several G Company reunions at his 51-acre farm where he raised four children with wife, Donna.
Speaking before his death, the retired tool and die shop worker said: “When you are in a foxhole and under heavy fire, all you have are your friends who are with you, and those become strong relationships.
“For 50 years or so after the war, we all remained friends and saw each other on occasion. I miss them.”
On the 70th anniversary of D-Day in 2014, he parachuted at the same spot where he landed. He did his final jump at the age of 99.
For his 101st birthday in April this year, Pte Martin’s family parachuted out of a historic Douglas C-47 Skytrain to celebrate.
A life-sized 7ft tall bronze statue of him will be erected in his hometown of Sugarcreek to commemorate him.
His granddaughter added: “He came to Sugarcreek straight after the war and bought 51 acres of land where he built his house.
“It was here where he raised his family and drew his final breath.
“It’s fitting that he will remembered in this town where he lived his entire life and which he loved.”
