Army Pfc. David J. Martin

Died October 31, 2005 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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21, of Edmond, Okla.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.; killed Oct. 31 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during patrol operations in Mahmudiyah, Iraq. Also killed were Sgt. 1st Class Jonathan Tessar, Spc. William J. Byler and Pvt. Adam R. Johnson.

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Edmond solider killed in Iraq

The Associated Press

EDMOND, Okla. — An Edmond soldier was among the members of the 101st Airborne Division who were killed when a roadside bomb exploded near their Humvee, military officials said Nov. 1.

Army Pfc. David Jeffrey Martin, 21, and three others were killed while on patrol Oct. 31 near Al Mahmdiyah, south of Baghdad, Fort Campbell spokeswoman Kelly Tyler said in a statement.

With the latest casualties, 73 soldiers based at Fort Campbell have died in the Iraq war.

Pvt. Adam “A.J.” Johnson, 22, of Clayton, Ohio; Sgt. 1st Class Jonathan Tessar, 35, of Simi Valley, Calif., and Spec. William J. Byler, 23, of Ballinger, Texas, also were killed in Monday’s attack.

Martin was the son of Edmond residents Rick and Janet Martin, and a 2002 graduate of Edmond North High School.

Janet Martin is president of Blue Star Mothers, a group of people with relatives in the military serving overseas. The Martins couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

Martin’s brother, Daniel Martin, 19, joined the Army earlier this year. Two other brothers, Neil Martin and Andrew Martin, work for the Edmond police department.

Martin had been stationed in Iraq about a month. He completed his Army training at Fort Benning, Ga., and initially was sent to Kuwait before being transferred to Iraq.

He is the first Edmond resident to die in Iraq this year.