A former NOVA of Virginia Aquatics and US Naval Academy swimmer played a crucial role in the recent Artemis II mission that took humans further from earth than they’ve ever been.
Lt. Commander Sam Martinette was the Navy pilot assigned to recover the four astronaut from the water after splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego in a MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter.
He and his team normally work in warfare, disaster relief, and search and rescue missions, but last week they took on a special mission to retrieve the crew of the Artemis II.
But before he built a career in the Navy, he swam for NOVA of Virginia Aquatics and the US Naval Academy. He said the sport gave him a “center of gravity, discipline, and a social life,” according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
A distance swimmer, Martinette finished 4th at the NCSA Junior National Championships in both the 500 and 1000 frees in 2007. He went on to race at Navy, where as a senior in 2011 he was a captain and finished 2nd at the Patriot League Championships in the 500 free, 3rd in the 200 back, and 4th in the 1650 free. He won ECAC titles in all three races that year.
He graduated in 2011 and went to flight school, where he pursued flying helicopters.
The Navy varsity swim team has become a bit of a pipeline into the space program, especially for pilots. Another former Navy Swimming team captain Suni Williams piloted the first-ever operational mission flight of the Boeing Starliner in 2024 and has made seven spacewalks totaling over 50 hours.
Add Paul “Buddy” Bucha, an All American swimmer and water polo player at Army West Point, who graduated in 1965. As a Captain commanding D Company, 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, Bucha led his 89 man unit against a North Vietnamese force of over 1000 during a 13+ hour battle in 1968. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions to save his men.
Wow. What valor!!! Thanks for sharing that
Okay Braden. Get one of your staffers to put together an article with the Top 20 most amazing jobs held by former USAS/Collegiate swimmers. Perhaps a Swammy award for the world’s most amazing non-swimming achievement for a swammer every year? GO!
I’d love to see that actually
Here is a former SwimSwm piece that may be tough to beat.
https://swimswam.com/swimmer-dave-scott-7th-human-to-walk-on-the-moon/
There are many successful and bright swimmers out there. Keep showing us articles of his!!
We’re more accustomed to the weightless environment!