Ralph Herbert Martin, 82, of Sweet Home died July 6, 2009.
He was born April 21, 1927 and grew up in the Los Angeles area.
Martin joined the Navy at 17 and served during World War II in the Pacific.
Returning to southern California, he worked as a longshoreman and crane operator for 38 years at the Los Angeles Harbor.
On a trip to Alaska in 1961 with his wife Joyce, he was introduced to…