There are several notable individuals named Joseph (or Josef) Martinez in the public record; the two most prominent are a distinguished U.S. Army soldier and a celebrated Venezuelan footballer. Below are concise, factual biographies for each. ## Joseph Pantillion (Joe P.) Martinez – U.S. Army Soldier Private Joseph Pantillion Martinez was a United States Army soldier during World War II and the first Hispanic-American, as well as the first Coloradan, to receive the Medal of Honor for combat heroism on American soil during that conflict[4]. Born in Colorado, Martinez enlisted in the Army and was assigned to Company K, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. In May 1943, he participated in the Battle of Attu in the Aleutian Islands, a strategically significant campaign to reclaim U.S. territory occupied by Japanese forces. On May 25, 1943, Martinez led two assaults against entrenched enemy positions despite heavy machine gun fire, personally eliminating several enemy gunners and enabling his unit to advance. He was mortally wounded during the second assault and died the following day[4]. Martinez was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary valor. His legacy is honored through memorials in Colorado, including statues in Ault, Greeley, and Denver, as well as a U.S. Army Reserve installation and a Disabled American Veterans chapter named in his honor[1]. He is buried with full military honors in Ault, Colorado[1]. ## Josef Alexander Martínez Mencia – Professional Footballer Josef Alexander Martínez Mencia (born 19 May 1993) is a Venezuelan professional footballer who currently plays as a striker for Major League Soccer’s San Jose Earthquakes and the Venezuela national team[2]. Martínez began his career with Caracas in Venezuela, moved to Europe with Young Boys and Torino, then achieved stardom in MLS with Atlanta United, where he became the club’s all-time leading scorer with 111 goals in all competitions[3]. He set multiple league records, including most career hat-tricks (currently seven, the most in MLS history)[7], fastest to 100 MLS goals (125 games), and most goals in a single MLS season (31 in 2018)[2][3]. Martínez was instrumental in Atlanta United’s 2018 MLS Cup victory, earning MVP honors and the Golden Boot that season[3]. After a highly successful six-year tenure in Atlanta, he joined Inter Miami in 2023 before moving to San Jose Earthquakes, where he continues to be a key attacking presence[2][5]. Internationally, Martínez has represented Venezuela at multiple Copa América tournaments[2]. He remains one of the most prolific scorers in MLS history and is actively pursuing further success with San Jose[5]. These two Joseph/Josef Martinezes are distinguished in their respective fields—one as a war hero memorialized for his bravery, the other as a record-setting footballer still active at the highest level of North American soccer.