Clarence Ames Martin (September 13, 1896 – December 11, 1986) was a highly decorated officer in the United States Army with the rank of major general.

Martin graduated as 11th in a class of 59 with Bachelor of Science degree in Civil engineering in May 1917, shortly after the United States' entry into World War I and was appointed a captain in the National Army.

He was promoted directly to first lieutenant on that date and subsequently assigned to the newly organized Company "D", 56th Infantry Regiment, 7th Division at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia where he took part in intensive training for deployment overseas.

Martin assumed duty as commanding officer (CO) of Company "E", 45th Infantry Regiment (Philippine Scouts) at Fort William McKinley in Manila.

[1] After two years of service in the Philippines, Martin returned to the United States in April 1929 and after a two-month leave with his family, he assumed duty as CO of Company "F", 34th Infantry Regiment at Fort Eustis, Virginia.

While in this capacity, he was promoted to major in August 1935 and ordered to attend the Army Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas in September 1936.

Following the United States' entry into World War II in December 1941, Martin was promoted to the temporary rank of colonel and joined the headquarters of I Corps as assistant chief of staff for operations (G-3).

He served consecutively under major generals Charles F. Thompson and Robert L. Eichelberger and accompanied his command overseas, arriving to Brisbane, Australia in mid-September 1942.

After a conference with the 32nd Division's commanding general (CG), Edwin F. Harding, Eichelberger dispatched Martin and the corps' intelligence officer, Gordon B. Rogers, to assess the situation.

Eichelberger subsequently decorated Martin with the Silver Star for bravery in action for conducting a hazardous mission with the intention of gathering important information.

However, Warren Force's advance was soon halted by strong Japanese resistance and Martin sent a detachment from his regiment to reconnoitre a nearby swamp, the intention being to find a way around the enemy's right flank.

Martin took part in the planning of the assault and was selected by Gill to lead a Michaelmas task force, which was built around the 126th Infantry Regimental Combat Team with Colonel Joseph S. Bradley in command.

[6] On January 12, Martin received intelligence reports from Krueger's Sixth Army headquarters that the Japanese were concentrating around Sio, and would attempt to force their way through to Madang.

[6] Although the intensity of clashes with the Japanese increased, over 8,000 enemy soldiers were able to bypassed Martin and his task force due to late orders from Krueger.

However the retreating 20,000 men of Japanese 18th Army were about to attack Aitape and General Gill prepared, together with Martin, a defensive plan and ordered his division to dig in.

[8][7][9] Due to difficult terrain and weather conditions, the supplying of Martin's was slow and he had a force of roughly 1,500 men to cover a frontage originally designed for two to three times that number.

[8][9] In mid-September 1944, Martin was tasked by Gill to lead a Regimental combat team during the landing on Morotai, an island in the Dutch East Indies intended to be used as a base to support the planned liberation of the Philippines later that year.

[1][2][10] The 31st Division was composed chiefly of Southerners from Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi and saw only limited action against Japanese arriving to the South-West Pacific Area in late April 1944.

[1][7] Following the arrival of Japanese reinforcements from the disintegrated 35th Army, Martin led combats along the Agusan River and in the jungles around Waloe until the cessation of hostilities on August 15, 1945.

He was responsible for the demobilization of troops returning from overseas until the end of May that year, when he was ordered home to Columbia, South Carolina, pending retirement.

[1][13][3] Martin retired on July 31, 1947, after 30 years of commissioned service and settled in Greenville, South Carolina together with his wife Susan Thomiza Johnson.