Breaking the Hindeburg Line

While perusing tables at the local militaria show in 2017, I spotted a damaged 1930s Metal Arts contract Purple Heart medal in a seller’s “dig” box. Flipping it over, I saw it was nicely (and correctly) hand engraved, “Philip Martiny Jr.” The seller’s price was not worth haggling over, so the medal went carefully into my shirt pocket for later research. I was thrilled with my purchase and couldn’t wait to begin the research process!

OPENING THE BOOK ON MARTINY

That evening, a quick Google search provided one result on FindAGrave.com which featured a photograph of the headstone on Martiny’s grave. The headstone photograph clearly revealed Martiny’s unit as well as noting that he received the Purple Heart.

Martiny had been in the 107th Infantry of the 27th Division, a New York National Guard unit formed from the 7th New York Militia. The 7th New York traces its lineage back to the early 19th century and spent most of that