Navy Veteran from Sea Bright Publishes Book

All schools hope that their students will graduate and go on to achieve bigger and better things in life. Now, Shore Regional High School 1968 graduate Greg Martinez certainly has a reason to be proud, after recently publishing his first book: Connie: The USS Constellation and the Last 50-Star Union Jack.

According to Martinez, a former Sea Bright resident and a veteran U.S. Navy Machinist Mate Third Class, the book spans about 225 years, focusing on his experiences in the Navy as well as the history and honor of the 4.4 acre aircraft carrier, USS Constellation (CVA-64), on which he served.

As a recent graduate in 1970, anticipating that he was going to be drafted, Martinez had made plans to join the U.S. Navy. He knew several classmates from Shore Regional High School who had died in the military, and that greatly impacted him.

“I wanted to serve my country because my country had served me, but I didn’t want to waste my life on a losing battle. That turns out to be the single most important decision of my life,” said Martinez. “I didn’t realize the magnitude of the changes that were about to take place.”

During his four-year tour, Martinez was sent to training in California due to his talents in engineering, and was ultimately stationed on the USS Constellation in San Diego. He explained how events caused him to realize that he needed to tell his ship’s story.

“Once I realized that I couldn’t go to my grave and let the spirit of my ship down, I spent about 10 years trying to figure out how to write about 225 years,” he said.

Martinez detailed how he came up with a plan and followed a timeline. In Jan. 2013, he put down his first words after doing research about the first two vessels that were named Constellation.

“With pen and paper, as I moved through time, I got a little bit better at writing because it was starting to come from my heart versus historical facts,” he said, adding that he would sit down, put on rock n’ roll and “leave” present time. “I would go back to the timeframe in which I was writing with my pen. Although I remember a lot of the dialogue pretty well, I pulled it out of my heart. Emotions don’t change over the years, memories come right back. It often brings tears to my eyes and I believe it will do that to the reader.”

Twice a week, Martinez said he sat down for about four hours and “would leave.”

“I could not leave, come back, and go back again. It’s too draining,” he said. “I persisted for about four years, writing and researching.”

After he finished the manuscript, both through connections and fate, Martinez received a contract through Hellgate Publishers.

He said his story is a “happy, fun romp about a man who learns to be clever and there are some heroes and some villains, and lot of adventure between substories.”

While reflecting on his time at Shore Regional, he said his favorite memories were playing music with the marching band.

“My experience in high school was fun, enjoyable, aloof and positive in totality,” he said. “I’m clearly thankful to have gone to this high school. It set me up for the next step.”

Martinez’s book is available online and through Amazon for $15.95, and it is downloadable through Kindle for $5.99.