Martin Julius Popson

1915 - 1987  (72 years)

• Name	Martin Julius Popson
  Born	25 Oct 1915	Crabtree, Westmoorland, Pennsylvania, USA
  Gender	Male
  Occupation	25 Apr 1940  [1]
  	labourer, brick plant
  Residence	16 Oct 1940	19 Penn Street, Clymer, Indiana, Pennsylvania, USA   [2]
  Military Service	7 Aug 1942  [2]
  	US Army, Co L, 148th Infantry
  Residence	7 Aug 1942	19 Penn Street, Clymer, Indiana, Pennsylvania, USA   [2]
  Military Award	9 Feb 1945	Manila, Luzon, Philippine Islands,   [2]
  	Distinguished Service Cross, 148th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Division
  Military Discharge	13 Dec 1945  [2]
  	US Army, Co L, 148th Infantry
  Occupation	1 Apr 1950  [3]
  	hoist operator, clay products co
  Residence	1 Apr 1950	19 Hancock Street, Clymer, Indiana, Pennsylvania, USA   [3]
  Residence	10 Apr 1950	19 Hancock Street, Clymer, Indiana, Pennsylvania, USA   [2]
  _UID	991110A343C24C49A6635549023AFE3109EC
  Buried	1987	Church of the Resurrection Cemetery, Clymer, Indiana, Pennsylvania, USA
  Died	20 Dec 1987	Indiana Hospital, Indiana, Pennsylvania, USA   [2]
  Person ID	I45231	My Big Tree
  Last Modified	7 Feb 2023

  
  

  Father	George Popson,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Mother	Elizabeth Zharneskey,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Family ID	F17108	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Margaret Virginia Strong,   b. 8 Sep 1922, Pennsylvania, USA ,   d. 31 Jul 1985  (Age 62 years)
  Married	1947
  Children	1. Living   2. George David Popson,   b. 5 Apr 1948, Penn Run, Indiana, Pennsylvania, USA ,   d. 22 Nov 2021, Northern Cambria, Cambria, Pennsylvania, USA  (Age 73 years)   3. Living
  Last Modified	4 Feb 2023
  Family ID	F17102	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Headstones

  Martin Julius Popson 1915 -1987

  
  

• Notes

  TSgt US Army World War II From Find A Grave The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Private First Class Martin J. Popson, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with the 148th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Division, in action at Manila, Luzon, Philippine Islands, on 9 February 1945. During a Japanese counterattack against their company in the Pandacan District, Private Popson, machine gunner, and his squad leader, crossed twenty yards of open terrain interdicted by heavy enemy machine gun and rifle fire, covering their advance with the light machine gun they carried. Upon reaching a previously selected position, they opened fire on an enemy machine gun fifty yards away, killing the gunner and wounding two crew members. Then, firing from a standing position, they knocked out the three occupants of a machine gun emplacement in the Pandacan School building and killed three more defenders in the subsequent action to capture the building. Later in the day, Private Popson and his companion three times crawled under enemy fire to within fifty yards of enemy machine guns on the route of attack, destroyed each one and killed eleven of the enemy. At the Paco Railroad Station, despite intense enemy fire, this team reduced two more enemy machine gun installations, leaving seven dead. The fire from their machine gun, against a second Japanese counterattack, was so intense and accurate that the enemy line wavered and broke. In this operation around Pandacan School and Paco Railroad Station, Private Popson and his squad leader reduced seven enemy installations and killed thirty-three Japanese. Their outstanding and sustained heroism in the face of intense enemy fire was an inspiration to their comrades and played an important part in the successful performance of the company. His intrepid actions, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the 37th Infantry Division, and the United States Army.

  
  

• Sources

  [S230] 1940 Census USA, (National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), T627 (Reliability: 4). [S220] Military Record (Reliability: 4). [S411] 1950 US Census, (National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), T628 (Reliability: 4).