Martin, Timothy L.., MSG

Tim departed for Somalia on 27 August 1993 as part Operation Gothic Serpent, Task Force Ranger.  On 3 October 1993, Tim was part of a 12 vehicle convoy (nine Humvees and three five-ton trucks).  The ground extraction convoy was supposed to reach the captive targets a few minutes after the beginning of the take-down.  However the convoy ran into delays when Somali citizens and local militia formed barricades along the streets of Mogadishu with rocks and burning tires, blocking the convoy from reaching the Delta and Ranger assault forces and their captives.  On the way into the Olympic Hotel, Tim was in the third Humvee when Chief John Gay (Navy SEAL) was hit by a single bullet.  The bullet hit the SEAL's knife and he was slightly wounded.  Tim treated Gay.

As they passed behind the target house an RPG-7 rocket struck the third Humvee.  Three men were blown out of the Humvee, one being Tim who took the brunt of the blast.  The rocket-propelled grenade had blown off the lower half of Tim's body.  Also mortally wounded in the Humvee was Ranger Private Adalberto Rodriguez.

The wounded were loaded into a five-ton truck.  When they got back to the hanger, Tim was semiconscious.  The unit Doctor Major Rob Marsh and unit medic SFC Don Hutchinson, did what they could for Tim.  Tim and the other seriously wounded were flown to Germany.  After a hard fight Tim finally succumb to his wounds.