Martin Stone Cluck was born on July 27, 1917 in Oklahoma. He was the son of Mrs. Geneva Cluck. He graduated from Erick High School and attended SW Teachers College and Roswell NM Military Academy. He entered the service at Oklahoma City on April 23, 1941 and trained at Stockton Field CA, Baton Rouge LA and Tulare CA. 2LT Cluck served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of War with the 75th Fighter Squadron, 23rd Fighter Group, participating in the air combat of China. He was a member of General Chennault's Flying Tigers, serving as fighter pilot, squadron intelligence officer and liaison officer for the Flying Tigers. 2LT Cluck was the first American soldier to speak over the Chungking short wave radio hook-up, direct to the US and was the first American soldier reported killed from Beckham Co, OK. He had 9 planes to his credit when he was killed in action over China on Sept. 23, 1942. He is now buried in the Erick Cemetery, Erick, Beckham County, Oklahoma, USA.

2LT Cluck was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is commemorated on the The Monument to the Aviation Martyrs in the War of Resistance Against Japan in Nanjing, China.

Source of information: From the book, The Fighting Men of Oklahoma