Martin Luther Luke" Cagle, Sr.

Mr. Martin Luther ""Luke"" Cagle, Sr., 90, of Winston-Salem died Saturday, December 18, 2010 at Forsyth Medical Center. He was born January 3, 1920 in Cabarrus County, the son of the late, Walter Lee and Alice Potts Cagle. Mr. Cagle was a member of Woodland Baptist Church for many years. He was drafted in December 1942. He'd gotten married earlier that year and was working as a cloth inspector at a Mooresville cotton mill. He trained at Fort Jackson, SC, as a rifleman and light machine gunner. At about 5 feet, 7 inches tall and 150 pounds, he was wiry but tough. He landed at Utah Beach on D-Day plus 8 as part of Company L, 314th Infantry, 79th Infantry Division. The 314th fought their way across France, taking on the German Waffen SS. ""They weren't fighting the Boy Scouts,"" said John Weaver, a nephew of Cagle's and a Vietnam vet who studied Cagle's service records. His research fills in the gaps in Cagle's memory. ""They had their hands full,"" Weaver said: ""I would go along the road and see our men dying and I couldn't help them. That was the worst. In the first days of October 1944, the 314th battled the SS near France's border with Belgium. One American Participant would later call it ""merciless combat."" Cagle was wounded on Oct. 4 when a large shell exploded near him. He once told a great-granddaughter, Courtney Choplin, that the men beside him were killed. ""For two days, he did not get medical attention because of the heavy fighting,"" Weaver said. ""They left him for dead, I guess, because they couldn't get to him because of the fighting. His insides were out; he was holding them with his hands."" Cagle, a Baptist, said he prayed for God to save him. After medics got him off the field, he spent the next several months in hospitals in Italy and Memphis, wasting down to 118 pounds. Doctors told him he wouldn't live past 40. He finally got home in January 1945 and saw for the first time his son, Martin Jr., who'd been born while he was at war. ""He knew a picture of me, but he didn't know me,"" Cagle said. Congresswomen Virginia Foxx helped him finally get the medals that he deserved including three Bronze Stars, Good Conduct Medal, the Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman Badge and the E.A.M.E. Campaign Medal. He retired from Hinkle Book Store and later worked part time at Sherwood Florist. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his loving wife of 68 years, Myrtle Geneva Primm Cagle, four brothers, James M., Bill, Frank, and France Cagle; and one sister, Adalea Pizzi. Survivors include one son, Martin L. Cagle, Jr. and wife, Sandra of Pfafftown; one daughter, Genie Cagle of Winston-Salem; two grandchildren, Cliff Cagle of Winston-Salem and ""Crickett"" C. Choplin and husband, Chris of Clemmons; four great grandchildren, Adam and Jake Cagle and Courtney and Landon Choplin; one sister, Katie Furr of Concord; two brothers, Don Cagle and wife, Pat of Huntersville and Buddy Cagle of Riverside, CA; his special pet, Marcy; and a special friend, Don Melvin who picked him up every Sunday for Church. A funeral service will be conducted Tuesday at 2:00 PM at Hayworth-Miller Silas Creek Chapel with Rev. Vic Pyles officiating. Burial will follow at Forsyth Memorial Park. The family will receive friends Monday evening from 6:00 until 8:00 PM at the funeral home. Online condolences may be made at www.hayworth-miller.com.

Cemetery:
Forsyth Memorial Park

Visitation:
06:00pm - 08:00pm on December 20, 2010 at Hayworth-Miller Silas Creek Chapel

Service:
Service at 02:00pm on December 21, 2010 at Hayworth-Miller Silas Creek Chapel