thedrifter
02-02-07, 07:32 PM
02/02/2007
Services for fallen Marine Saturday
Special from Ladysmith News
uneral services for Marine Lance Corporal Andrew G. Matus, 19, of rural Chetek, who was killed Jan. 21 supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, will take place Saturday, Feb. 3, in the Weyerhaeuser High School gymnasium.
Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to time of services at 12 noon.
Matus, a 2005 graduate of Weyerhaeuser High School, lost his life from wounds sustained while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, according to a Dept. of Defense report. He was assigned to Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
His parents, Gary and Donna Matus, received word of their son's death from Marine Gunnery Sergeant David Dickens, out of Minneapolis. He came to their home the afternoon of Sunday, Jan. 21, accompanied by Rusk County Sheriff David Kaminski.
Andy's mother said they did not know their son was in Iraq. He had emailed his sister, Amanda, saying he had been transferred from combat cargo into an infantry operation and wanted to wait until he got home to tell his parents so they wouldn't be put through so much worry. Amanda, who lives in Denver, Colo., is studying to be a dental hygienist.
"He called us the second week in October. He was on a Navy carrier ship, the USS Boxer. He had stopped at Hawaii and Singapore and they were almost to India. Kuwait was to be the next stop, his mother told the Ladysmith News.
"We don't know how he got back into infantry." She said her son had faced medical problems with his feet and the last word she had received was that Andy had been put out of the infantry into combat cargo.
She said that assignment must have disappointed Andy, because her son had wanted to be a Marine infantryman since he was 12 years old.
"Andy lived his dream to be a Marine. He had his mind set. You couldn't tell him anything else. He went to Minneapolis for his physical and to enlist on his 17th birthday while he was a senior. We had to sign the papers. We knew that was what he wanted and he would have joined as soon as he could do it on his own.
"We did not encourage him and did not discourage him because we knew that Andy was going to be a Marine.
"There was no way of stopping him."
She said her son wanted to start boot camp right after graduation, but had to wait a few weeks. When he graduated from boot camp he was meritoriously promoted to private first class.
"Then when he graduated from the school of infantry he was promoted to lance corporal. He got that promotion when the Marines in his unit voted for him as 'the one person they would feel the safest going to war with.'
"His sergeant said that in all the years he had been a Marine infantryman, it was the first time in the machine gunners someone had received such an award."
Andy was not a letter writer, according to Donna, and she and Gary only received two while he was at boot camp. "One he was forced to write. They make them write one letter," she said, her voice showing the amused tolerance of a mom.
On Wednesday, Jan. 24, Lance Corporal Matus' battalion commander called the family from Iraq.
"He told us what happened. Andy was on security so his fellow marines could get some sleep. He was wounded and died from wounds en route to medical care. He was one of three on security. Two were killed and one was wounded.
"Andy got to Iraq on Nov. 10 or 11. He and the other Marine infantrymen were at Ar Rutbah, which is west of Baghdad. They were heading toward the border of Jordan and Syria and were at Camp Korean Village when he was on security duty.
"Andy had volunteered to security.
"His battalion commander said it was not surprising for Andy to volunteer because he volunteered for many things.
"He said our son was a very determined Marine and his death was a very personal loss for him."
"We are very proud of him. He had so much going for him and he had accomplished a lot," said his mother.
Andy's father, Gary, served in the Army, and his grandparents, Virginia Matus of Bruce and her late husband Edward had also served in the Army.
"His uncle Dennis Matus and Aunt Diane were also Army veterans. We are not quite sure why Andy chose the Marines, but it was the toughest branch.
"Dennis, who was in the Vietnam war, would talk to Andy and say you are going to see a lot of bad things, but Andy had it in his head he was going to be a Marine. It was his dream.
"He was the type of person everybody liked and he was very creative.
"Gary taught him many things about mechanics and woodworking, but he learned a lot on his own and at school.
During his last leave over Labor Day weekend his friend, Andrew Ludvik, had something wrong with the front wheel of his car. Andrew was bound and determined to get that car fixed and they made several trips to Rice Lake and one to Eau Claire for parts. "He got it fixed," Donna recalls.
She said he often worked in their unheated garage until late at night on projects, sometimes when it was as cold as 20 below.
Gary is a 1966 WHS graduate and he and Donna have been married 31 years. She graduated from Chetek High School.
Gary has been employed at Johnson Truck Body in Rice Lake for more than 18 years and Donna is employed at Core Products International in Chetek.
The Matus family had declined to talk to media after word of the loss of their only son, but Donna said she decided it was important that she and Gary could contribute toward recognizing Andy's accomplishments and talents.
The youth whose high school dream was to become a Marine infantryman is the third serviceman from Rusk County to die in the military in Iraq or Afghanistan. SSG Nathan Vacho, 29, of Ladysmith was killed May 5, 2006, when an improvised explosive device hit his Humvee south of Baghdad. SSG Patrick Lybert, 28, died in combat June 21 in Afghanistan.
The Matus family said the Marines are handling the funeral and they are contributing suggestions.
There will be the traditional honor guard and 21-Gun Salute, with a Marine playing taps. Two United States Marines will stand at attention during visitation Saturday morning from 9 a.m. to noon.
There will be cremation prior to the service and a U.S. flag will be laid out on the table where the urn and a color photograph of Lance Corporal Matus will be placed.
Services at noon will be followed by a luncheon at the school.
Parking in the rear of the Weyerhaeuser High School will be reserved for family.
The family has set up a Memorial Fund at The First National Bank of Chetek.
Ellie
Services for fallen Marine Saturday
Special from Ladysmith News
uneral services for Marine Lance Corporal Andrew G. Matus, 19, of rural Chetek, who was killed Jan. 21 supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, will take place Saturday, Feb. 3, in the Weyerhaeuser High School gymnasium.
Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to time of services at 12 noon.
Matus, a 2005 graduate of Weyerhaeuser High School, lost his life from wounds sustained while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, according to a Dept. of Defense report. He was assigned to Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
His parents, Gary and Donna Matus, received word of their son's death from Marine Gunnery Sergeant David Dickens, out of Minneapolis. He came to their home the afternoon of Sunday, Jan. 21, accompanied by Rusk County Sheriff David Kaminski.
Andy's mother said they did not know their son was in Iraq. He had emailed his sister, Amanda, saying he had been transferred from combat cargo into an infantry operation and wanted to wait until he got home to tell his parents so they wouldn't be put through so much worry. Amanda, who lives in Denver, Colo., is studying to be a dental hygienist.
"He called us the second week in October. He was on a Navy carrier ship, the USS Boxer. He had stopped at Hawaii and Singapore and they were almost to India. Kuwait was to be the next stop, his mother told the Ladysmith News.
"We don't know how he got back into infantry." She said her son had faced medical problems with his feet and the last word she had received was that Andy had been put out of the infantry into combat cargo.
She said that assignment must have disappointed Andy, because her son had wanted to be a Marine infantryman since he was 12 years old.
"Andy lived his dream to be a Marine. He had his mind set. You couldn't tell him anything else. He went to Minneapolis for his physical and to enlist on his 17th birthday while he was a senior. We had to sign the papers. We knew that was what he wanted and he would have joined as soon as he could do it on his own.
"We did not encourage him and did not discourage him because we knew that Andy was going to be a Marine.
"There was no way of stopping him."
She said her son wanted to start boot camp right after graduation, but had to wait a few weeks. When he graduated from boot camp he was meritoriously promoted to private first class.
"Then when he graduated from the school of infantry he was promoted to lance corporal. He got that promotion when the Marines in his unit voted for him as 'the one person they would feel the safest going to war with.'
"His sergeant said that in all the years he had been a Marine infantryman, it was the first time in the machine gunners someone had received such an award."
Andy was not a letter writer, according to Donna, and she and Gary only received two while he was at boot camp. "One he was forced to write. They make them write one letter," she said, her voice showing the amused tolerance of a mom.
On Wednesday, Jan. 24, Lance Corporal Matus' battalion commander called the family from Iraq.
"He told us what happened. Andy was on security so his fellow marines could get some sleep. He was wounded and died from wounds en route to medical care. He was one of three on security. Two were killed and one was wounded.
"Andy got to Iraq on Nov. 10 or 11. He and the other Marine infantrymen were at Ar Rutbah, which is west of Baghdad. They were heading toward the border of Jordan and Syria and were at Camp Korean Village when he was on security duty.
"Andy had volunteered to security.
"His battalion commander said it was not surprising for Andy to volunteer because he volunteered for many things.
"He said our son was a very determined Marine and his death was a very personal loss for him."
"We are very proud of him. He had so much going for him and he had accomplished a lot," said his mother.
Andy's father, Gary, served in the Army, and his grandparents, Virginia Matus of Bruce and her late husband Edward had also served in the Army.
"His uncle Dennis Matus and Aunt Diane were also Army veterans. We are not quite sure why Andy chose the Marines, but it was the toughest branch.
"Dennis, who was in the Vietnam war, would talk to Andy and say you are going to see a lot of bad things, but Andy had it in his head he was going to be a Marine. It was his dream.
"He was the type of person everybody liked and he was very creative.
"Gary taught him many things about mechanics and woodworking, but he learned a lot on his own and at school.
During his last leave over Labor Day weekend his friend, Andrew Ludvik, had something wrong with the front wheel of his car. Andrew was bound and determined to get that car fixed and they made several trips to Rice Lake and one to Eau Claire for parts. "He got it fixed," Donna recalls.
She said he often worked in their unheated garage until late at night on projects, sometimes when it was as cold as 20 below.
Gary is a 1966 WHS graduate and he and Donna have been married 31 years. She graduated from Chetek High School.
Gary has been employed at Johnson Truck Body in Rice Lake for more than 18 years and Donna is employed at Core Products International in Chetek.
The Matus family had declined to talk to media after word of the loss of their only son, but Donna said she decided it was important that she and Gary could contribute toward recognizing Andy's accomplishments and talents.
The youth whose high school dream was to become a Marine infantryman is the third serviceman from Rusk County to die in the military in Iraq or Afghanistan. SSG Nathan Vacho, 29, of Ladysmith was killed May 5, 2006, when an improvised explosive device hit his Humvee south of Baghdad. SSG Patrick Lybert, 28, died in combat June 21 in Afghanistan.
The Matus family said the Marines are handling the funeral and they are contributing suggestions.
There will be the traditional honor guard and 21-Gun Salute, with a Marine playing taps. Two United States Marines will stand at attention during visitation Saturday morning from 9 a.m. to noon.
There will be cremation prior to the service and a U.S. flag will be laid out on the table where the urn and a color photograph of Lance Corporal Matus will be placed.
Services at noon will be followed by a luncheon at the school.
Parking in the rear of the Weyerhaeuser High School will be reserved for family.
The family has set up a Memorial Fund at The First National Bank of Chetek.
Ellie