A time to honour all those who serve

Remembrance Day is a day on the calendar that holds special meaning for William 'Bud' Martin. The US Navy veteran has embraced the Australian RSL traditions since moving here in the 1970s and more so when he retired and finally moved to Wangaratta in 2019. Bud signed up for the navy when he left school in Northern California in June 1963, the day before he turned 18 and expected to do a three-year stint just before the USA became involved in the war in Vietnam. He never served overseas, however, working like thousands of others behind the scenes maintaining and repairing aircraft that were engaged in the conflict. He was trained in electronics working on aircraft radar and air-to-air missile systems for A4Skyhawks, light attack jets. He was training at Memphis Tennessee when then President John F Kennedy was assassinated. "We all thought, what a time for us to join up, the Russians will be attacking soon," Bud said. Fortunately, that never eventuated and he remained in the US Navy for three years, two months and two days before being honourably discharged. "It stays with you (being in the service), it does with anyone," Bud said. "When you enlist the government can send you anywhere, at any time. "For every frontline soldier there are 14 others working away from the frontline to support the military personnel who are." Looking for a new career, Bud saw an advert for IBM and applied. "I took a battery of tests and out of 52 applicants only two of us were successful," he said. Bud and his wife Ruth first came to Australia in 1970 to visit friends and fell in love with the country and the lifestyle and eventually moved here in 1972, successfully applying for a position again with IBM Australia. After a brief return to the USA, the couple returned to Australia in May 1977, and Bud took up a position with IBM in Wangaratta. He became an Australian citizen in 1979 and worked at IBM until his retirement from the company in 2003 when he took up a position with Uncle Ben's where he worked until 2009 before he "fully retired". The family moved to Oxley, raising one daughter Heather, and when she had flown the nest Bud and his wife eventually moved to Wangaratta in 2019. Bud became involved with the Wangaratta RSL after wearing his US Navy Veterans cap to a Wangaratta ANZAC Day service where his daughter, now Dr Heather Morris at Monash University, was there with her two daughters who were involved as Scouts and had travelled from Melbourne to take part. He was spotted in the crowd by Wangaratta RSL Ceremonial Officer Liz Rouse, a familiar face to anyone who has attended any local services. "Liz walked past me, came back and said 'Are you a Veteran' and I said 'Yes Ma'am', Liz then said 'Go march' and I did," Bud said. Since then, Bud has been heavily involved as a volunteer, he started selling badges during COVID, helps set up for services, picking up the stores and chairs, volunteering at the new RSL Museum in Templeton Street, visiting veterans in hospital and attending funerals of veterans even if he doesn't know them. "They all deserved to be honoured, " he said. "I was here at the end of the Vietnam War, and I remember how the veterans were treated so badly back then, even by the RSL. "It was the same in America. "It's changed so much now, the RSL is very good, Wangaratta RSL is fantastic. "It's even more so here than in America, the very patriotic stuff really began there after 9/11. "When I was a kid people used to march on November 11 for Veterans Day in the 50s but it wouldn't necessarily be held in every town or even on the actual day. "A mate visited from America here in 2015 and I showed him around and he was amazed that every little town had a Cenotaph." Four or five years ago Bud said he was helping out at the Remembrance Day service in Wangaratta and was surprised that there were so many wreaths being laid but not for veterans from Allied countries. He brought it up with the RSL and now he lays a wreath for all Allied Veterans. "Any Allied Veterans can now join the RSL, and it should be that way," he said. "I lost quite a few friends from primary school at Vietnam. "My father served in WWII in the Pacific, I had an uncle in the Navy in WWII, and another in the Korean War in Army Intelligence, and my grandfather served in WWI in France and Germany. "Even though Remembrance Day started with WWI it is now to remember the fallen in all wars and conflict since. "It's the same for veterans who might not have served on the frontline, those who have served in the Army Reserve, they all deserve to be honoured and involved in the RSL. "I think the crowds are getting bigger here each year, I think it's great, it's so important. "In the USA descendants of veterans are still not allowed to wear their medals and ribbons. "In general, Australia does it better."

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