All in the family
Bridgeville family served in every branch of military
Military service is in the blood of the Martincic family of Bridgeville.
“Our family had one or two in each branch of the military,” said Jack Martincic, who served three years in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War.
Their history of service dates back to World War II, when Frank Martincic, Jack’s father, served as a machinist in the Merchant Marines.
“My dad was in the engine room on a boat while in the Merchant Marines and thought all of the time about a torpedo hitting,” Jack Martincic said. “Merchant Marine boats were big targets for German U-Boats because they were all loaded with equipment. My dad would say, ‘I was always looking for where the steps were in case a torpedo hit.'”
Frank was one of three Martincic brothers to serve in World War II. His brother, Bill, served in the Army Air Corps, and brother, Carl, was a pilot in the U.S. Air Force, flying reconnaissance missions.
Jack’s brother, Dave, was a boilerman in the U.S. Navy, serving on a destroyer in Vietnam, and their brother, Jerry, served in the Coast Guard. Kevin, their nephew, was part of the Marine Corps military police.
“It just kind of happened,” Jack Martincic said of his family’s dedication to military service.
Bridgeville, like many communities, has banners featuring their hometown heroes hanging throughout the borough to honor those who have served. Jack Martincic, a 1968 graduate of Chartiers Valley High School, said he was told that his family has the lion’s share.
Dave Martincic died at the age of 74 in 2021 after suffering from mesothelioma, likely from fighting a boiler fire on a destroyer in Greece.
“He fought that for six hours,” Jack Martincic said. “They were in a confined area in the engine room when it blew … He gave his life to the Navy.”
Jack, Jerry and Kevin are the remaining surviving members of the military Martincics. Family members have participated in Memorial Day ceremonies for a number of years. Jack, a 1968 graduate of Chartiers Valley High School, said many of his classmates take part and plan to do so again this year.
“I have a military Jeep, and we’ve done Bridgeville’s Memorial Day parade for about 12 years,” he said.
“We’re really proud,” Jack said. “It’s not like everybody went in and we were in the infantry. We’ve had a lot of different things to talk about. We’ve covered a lot of different areas of not just being in the military, but of what you did in the military.”