Martin was born July 28, 1943, in Washington, D.C. He graduated from Yale University in 1965 with a degree in English. He served during the Vietnam War as a naval officer. Martin began at CBS News as a researcher in 1969. His career during the 1970s and early 1980s included stints at Newsweek Magazine and the Associated Press. He became CBS News Pentagon correspondent in 1983.[2] Martin received a 1990 News and Documentary Emmy Award in the category "Outstanding General Coverage of a Single Breaking News Story (Programs)" for his contributions to 48 Hours: Hurricane Watch covering Hurricane Hugo.[3] On June 28, 2024 he was recognized by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon for his 40 years of reporting.[4]
Martin, David C.; Walcott John (1988). Best Laid Plans: The Inside Story of America's War Against Terrorism. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN9780060158774