Foil: 62 Panel: 2 Column: 4 Line: 25

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Charlotte Martinsson

Kenton A. Martinsson (2 Sep 1926 ?€“ 28 Dec 2008)
Born in Grand Forks, SD, he was the first generation of his Swedish family to be born in the United States. After serving in the U. S. Maritime Service during World War II, he joined the U. S. Army Air Force on 10 Mar 1947 and served 20 years in technology fields ranging from communications through nuclear weapons operations, management, and maintenance. He retired as a Senior Master Sergeant (E-8) with the job title of 33190 Special Weapons Superintendent. After retiring from the U. S. Air Force, he worked for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency monitoring Atomic Energy Commission testing, and then for the National Weather Service. In 1975, he was part of a 17-person crew that wintered over at the South Pole Amundsen-Scott Base, with no external visits or communication except for long distance radio from February through October. Continuing for the Overseas Operations Division of the NWS, he travelled extensively throughout South America and Africa to install, maintain, and train weather stations in under-developed countries through the World Health Organization assistance program of the United Nations. His work during that time and the International Meteorological Year (1979) earned him the U. S. Department of Commerce Silver Medal. His ultimate career assignment was in Sri Lanka, working for the United Nations' World Meteorological Organization on the Tropical Cyclone Project. With Connie Lucero Martinsson he raised five children. He is buried at Arlington Cemetery.