Korean War
| Service # | 1185342 |
|---|---|
| Rank | Sergeant U.S. Marine Corps |
| Date of Death | March 28 1953 |
Combat Action Ribbon (Navy)
Korean Service Medal
Medal of Honor (Navy)
National Defense Service Medal
Purple Heart
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Republic of Korea War Service Medal
United Nations Service Medal
For his leadership and great valor, Sergeant Matthews was awarded the Medal of Honor, Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.
Notes
Sergeant Mathews was a squad leader with Company F, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. On March 28, 1953, he led his squad in a counter attack upon a firmly entrenched enemy on "Outpost Vegas" on the 38th Parallel. His squad became pinned down and heavy machine gun fire was preventing a corpsman from evacuating a wounded marine. Singlehandedly, he attacked the machine gun nest and, although severely wounded, he killed two gunners and routed the third, permitting the removal of the wounded, before he fell himself.