Capital Project
Tribute to Private Joe P. Martinez at Martinez Park

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Park

Joseph P. Martinez Park

Status

In Progress

Completion

Expected Fall 2025

Neighborhood

Villa Park

Partners

Villa Park Neighborhood Association, Mile Hi Veterans, Veterans Expedition Therapy, Considine Family Foundation, Denver Parks & Recreation, Denver Arts & Venues, Office of Councilwoman Jamie Torres, MDC Richmond American Foundation, PEMA Foundation

Overview

The Denver Park Trust, in partnership with residents of the Villa Park neighborhood, veterans groups, Medal of Honor supporters, Councilwoman Jamie Torres’ Office, Denver Parks and Recreation, and Denver Art & Venues, raised $45,000 and leveraged $70,000 for a lasting tribute honoring Private Martinez in Joseph P. Martinez Park in West Denver.

The “Why”

Private Martinez was the first Latino and Coloradan to be awarded the Medal of Honor in World War II.

Joe P. Martinez was born in Taos, New Mexico on July 27, 1920 and raised in Ault, Colorado. He was an Army Soldier who received the Medal of Honor—the United States’ highest military decoration—for combat actions that cost him his life on the Aleutian Islands in May 1943 during World War II. His posthumous award was the first Medal of Honor awarded for actions on the North American continent since 1898.

In 1966, the City and County of Denver named an 11 acre park in the Villa Park neighborhood in his honor.

The Vision

In 2020, a new master plan to revitalize Joseph P. Martinez Park was created. Through the community engagement process, it was determined that a new, enduring tribute to Private Martinez should be incorporated into the design and construction of the park.

Once completed in early Fall 2025, the tribute will provide young and old, neighbors and victors, with an opportunity to learn more about Private Martinez’s life and legacy as well as veterans with a connection to Denver and Colorado, Latino veterans, and recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor.

The Campaign

The effort to honor Private Martinez began with the formation of a coalition of stakeholders made up of Villa Park residents, veterans service groups, Medal of Honor supporters, members of the Martinez family, Denver Parks and Recreation (DPR), Livable Cities Studios, Councilwoman Jamie Torres, Denver Arts & Venues, and Historic Denver.

Led by the Denver Park Trust, stakeholders embarked on a three year campaign to host pubic events at Martinez Park to raise awareness around the idea to create a lasting tribute to Private Martinez. This included volunteer park cleanups, community gatherings to celebrate Veterans Day, and the creation of the annual Private Martinez Birthday Party in the Park, an event held each year on July 27, the date of Private Martinez’s birth.

On the funding side, the campaign raised $20,000 from 723 individuals who leaned about Private Martinez and the future tribute through a Word of Thanks segment that ran on Next with Kyle Clark on May 24, 2023. Adding to that, three local foundations— Considine Family Foundation, MDC Richmond American Foundation, and the PEMA Foundation — teamed up to contribute an additional $25,000. These funds were leveraged with $70,000from Denver Arts & Venues and DPR as part of the City of Denver’s 1% art program.

Honoring Private Joe P. Martinez

Following the community’s desire to honor Private Martinez in the initial phase of a multi-year plan to revitalize the entire park, DPR and Livable Cities Studio designed a series of elements and amenities that are inspired by Private Martinez’s bravery in service to our country, including:

Tribute Plaza: Located on the west side of the park, the Tribute Plaza will be a gateway to the park providing visitors with an opportunity to be inspired by public artwork celebrating service, honor, and community and a chance to learn more about the life and legacy of Private Martinez, veterans who served in the armed forces, and Medal of Honor recipients.

Tribute Wall: The Tribute Wall will be dedicated to Private Martinez and highlight his upbringing in Ault, Colorado, the Aleutian-Pacific campaign of World War II, and the importance of the Battle of Holtz Bay to the trajectory of the war. In addition, details on the Medal of Honor, our nation’s highest military award for valor, will be presented.

Tribute Art: The Tribute Plaza will include a series of four art pieces created by Marco Garcia, a Colorado-based artist who was chosen by a panel of community members as part of Denver’s 1% art program, to design, create, and construct artwork to embody the spirit, bravery and fortitude of Private Martinez.

Tribute Walk: A loop around the great lawn will include kiosks highlighting medals/badges awarded Private Martinez including the Medal of Honor, Purple Heart, Army Good Conduct Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and the American Campaign Medal.

Playground, Pavilion and Great Lawn: The playground will offer challenging play for multiple ages, the pavilion and great lawn will be available for events, family outings, and neighborhood get-togethers.

Phase 1 construction began on October 4, 2024 and is scheduled to be completed in Fall of 2025.

Private Martinez Biography

Private Joe P. Martinez was born in Taos, New Mexico on July 27, 1920. Joe was one of seven children born to José Manuel Martinez and María Eduvigen Romo. In 1927, the family moved to Ault, Colorado. There, he received his primary and secondary education.

In August 1942, Joe was drafted into the United States Army and sent to Camp Roberts, California for basic training. After completing basic training, he was assigned to Company K, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. In April 1943, the Division departed San Francisco to dislodge Japanese forces occupying the Aleutians, a chain of islands extending from Alaska into the Bering Sea.

One month later, the Division landed in dense fog at Holtz Bay on Attu Island. Initially successful, the attack stalled facing an escalating series of snowy, fortified trenches. Ignoring intense machine gun and mortar fire, Pvt. Martinez stood and hollered, “Follow me!” Martinez arduously climbed upward toward Holtz-Chichogof Pass, rising 150 feet from the rocky beach. Pvt. Martinez led the troops on and up, personally silencing several trenches with his Browning Automatic Rifle. Just below the knifelike rim of the pass, he encountered a final enemy occupied trench. As he fired into it, he was mortally wounded.

The pass, however, was taken. Its capture resulted in the end of organized enemy resistance on Attu Island. For his conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty, Pvt. Joe P. Martinez was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, our Nation’s highest combat honor. He was buried with full military honors in Ault, Colorado.