Rank: Specialist 4
Unit: Headquarters & Headquarters Troop, 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 67A – Aircraft Maintenance Apprentice
Awards: Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Unit awards: Valorous Unit Award, Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Note: UH-1C, Tail # 66-00523, Door Gunner
Enlisted by: Regular
Date of birth: 13-Dec-1948
Hometown: Garfield Heights, Ohio
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 19-Nov-1966
Start of tour: 24-Jan-1968
Incident date: 29-Sep-1968
Date of casualty: 29-Sep-1968
Age at death: 19
Cause of death: Hostile, died. Helicopter Crash — Crew (MC). Aircraft loss, crash not at sea.
John James Matuska died from wound received while door gunner on military aircraft on reconnaissance mission when radio contact was lost with aircraft. Aircraft received hostile ground fire, crashed but did not burn.
Four Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
WO Jerry Lee Harris
SP4 John James Matuska
WO William Paul Rollins
SP5 Blaine Joseph Shepherd
Location of fatality: Long Khanh, South Vietnam, YS 442 910
Place of interment: Calvary Cemetery, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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