My Life in Ladysmith, Wisconsin 1928 to 1948

About the Book

In 1908, Francis Martin and his wife Margaret moved to the small town of Ladysmith, Wisconsin to open a dry goods and grocery store. Once settled they began raising a family (seven boys and three girls). Their ninth child was a boy born on June 8, 1928 who they named Louie. Unfortunately, a year after his birth the stock market crashed and the U.S. and the world collapsed into The Great Depression. His father, although an educated man, was unemployed during the majority of Louie’s early formative years and these difficult times instilled in him an inner desire to excel in life no matter what the odds and with little help from anyone other then himself. When the U.S. entered World War II he helped in the war effort to the extent his young age would allow by delivering telegrams at age 14, working in a hardware store at age 15 and on the railroad at age 16. At age 17, while working in Detroit Michigan, he obtained a pilot’s license. After graduating from high school, he joined the Air Force Aviation Cadet Program and was commissioned a second Lieutenant and a pilot one-year later. The author relives these exciting times with extraordinary clarity in 261 pages and 161 photos.

About the Author

Lou Martin was born on June 8, 1928. The country was at peace, but a year later, the world experienced a Great Economic Depression. His first 12 years of life were very difficult as he and his nine siblings were forced to survive on what little they could individually earn. He learned to work hard at a young age but through a close relationship with his siblings, he was able to enjoy the fruits of youth. When the U.S. entered World War II, he worked in jobs formally held by adults who were now in the military. This exposure resulted in him developing the skills and will needed to excel later in his adult life. After high school, he passed an education exam designed to measure the equivalent of two years of college and was accepted as an Aviation Cadet with the Air Force.