Salve H. Matheson

Salve H. Matheson
Brigadier General Salve H. Matheson in Vietnam, 1967
Born(1920-08-11)11 August 1920
Seattle, Washington
Died8 January 2005(2005-01-08) (aged 84)
Carmel, California
Buried
Arlington National Cemetery
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Army
Years of service1942–1975
RankMajor General
Commands held2nd Infantry Division
101st Airborne Division
Battles/warsWorld War II

Korean War

Vietnam War

AwardsArmy Distinguished Service Medal (2)[1]
Silver Star
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross
Bronze Star Medal (4)[2][3]
Purple Heart
Spouse(s)
Patricia H. Matheson
​
​
(m. 1947)​

Salve H. Matheson (11 August 1920 – 8 January 2005) was a general officer in the United States Army who served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

Early life and education[edit]

Salve H. Matheson was born on 11 August 1920 to S. E. Matheson and Elsa Matheson in Seattle, Washington; he was the second of four children.[4][5][6] Shortly after Salve's birth, the Matheson Family moved to the Monterey Peninsula where Matheson grew up and attended school. Matheson was commissioned in 1942 through the Reserve Officers' Training Corps program at the University of California, Los Angeles, of which he was a 1942 graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts.[2][6][7]

Military career[edit]

Matheson served in the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment in the U.S. and in Europe during World War II. The regiment gained later international recognition following the publication of Stephen Ambrose's book Band of Brothers. Major Richard "Dick" Winters, who was celebrated in the Tom Hanks-produced HBO miniseries based on Ambrose's book, said of Salve Matheson, "No veteran who served in Easy Company had a more distinguished military career."[8]

Matheson began his assignment with the regiment in E Company as a platoon leader and was soon moved to the 2nd Battalion staff. He was transferred to the regimental staff before the D-Day invasions.[9]: 17, 27  Several days after drop, Matheson was wounded by German mortar fire while organizing a machine gun assault in French hedgerows on June 13, 1944.[10] On June 15 he was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge.[11] After recovering from his injuries he parachuted into Holland and was later awarded the Bronze Service Arrowhead for participating in Operation Market Garden.[10][12] Matheson was besieged with the rest of the 101st Airborne under the command of Maj. Gen. Anthony McAuliffe at Bastogne.[10] During the Battle of the Bulge he was assigned as the S-4 of the 506th PIR and attempted without success to find small arms ammunition for his unit.[13] Matheson served as the regimental logistics officer until March 1945, when he was moved to the position of Operations officer.[9]: 203  Lt. Matheson helped lead the vanguard of the 101st toward Berchtesgarden and secured the surrenders of General Hans Speidel and Field Marshall Albert Kesselring.[10]

In 1949, Harry W. O. Kinnard, then a lieutenant colonel, and Matheson, then a major, served as technical advisers on the movie Battleground.[14]

During the Korean War, Matheson was assigned to the 18th Airborne Corps and the 1st Infantry Division. He was involved in amphibious landings at Inchon, South Korea and Wonsan, North Korea and in the amphibious withdrawal from Hungnam, North Korea.[6][15] In early 1951, Matheson, then a major, was awarded the third oak leaf cluster to his Bronze Star by Headquarters, X Corps, after he had been reassigned to Washington, D.C.[3]

In January 1954, Matheson, a lieutenant colonel, was assigned as assistant chief of staff, G3 of the 1st Infantry Division in U.S. Army, Europe (USAREUR); he had previously been assigned to the research and development division of USAREUR.[16] He was reassigned from the 1st Infantry Division in September 1955.[17]

During the height of the Cold War, Matheson commanded the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Bad Tölz, Federal Republic of Germany, from 1961 to 1963.[18]: 345 

In December 1965, Matheson was selected for promotion to brigadier general.[19] In mid-April 1966, Matheson, still a colonel, who had previously been assigned to the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, assumed duty as the 101st Airborne Division's assistant commander for supporting units at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.[2] Matheson became the commander of the 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division in March 1966.[6] From late January 1967 to 1968, Matheson, who came to be known by his men as "The Iron Duke," commanded the 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division.[18]: 450, 452 [20] He commanded extensive "search and destroy" operations against the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army Regulars, including Operation Hood River.[10][21] He established a camp near Duc Pho, Republic of Vietnam, which he named CARENTAN.[22] In January 1968, he was assigned as the Senior U.S. Army adviser to the I Corps Tactical Zone[23]

In April 1968, Matheson assumed duties as Director, ROTC-National Defense Cadet Corps at Fort Monroe, Virginia after leaving his command of the 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam.[24] In July 1968, Matheson was selected for promotion to major general.[25] In 1968, he assumed command of the 101st Airborne Division.[6]

In the fall of 1970, Matheson was reassigned from his position as Commander, 2nd Infantry Division in South Korea to the Inter-American Defense Board in Washington, D.C.[26]

Military awards[edit]

Matheson's decorations include the Army Distinguished Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, four Bronze Star Medals, twelve Air Medals, the Army Commendation Medal, the Purple Heart, Master Parachutist Badge, and Combat Infantry Badge. Foreign awards include the Bronze Lion and the Orange Lanyard of the Netherlands.[27]

Family[edit]

Matheson's engagement to Patricia Halloran was announced by her parents, Colonel and Mrs. Michael E. Halloran, on 20 September 1947.[28][29] They married later that year and honeymooned in Carmel, California. They had three children.[30] Matheson's older brother, Martin "Big Whitey" Matheson was a lieutenant in the U.S. Army and a stunt man in Hollywood who acted as Ward Bond's stunt double.[citation needed]

Later life and death[edit]

After retiring from the Army in 1975, Matheson and his wife Patricia retired to Carmel, California.[30] He died on 8 January 2005 in Carmel, California, survived by his wife and three children.[4][27] He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery with his spouse, Patricia H.[31]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Salve H. Matheson". The Hall of Valor. Military Times. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  2. ^ a b c "New 101st Assistant Commander". The Leaf-Chronicle. Clarksville, Tennessee. 8 March 1966. pp. 1, 10. Retrieved 6 April 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  3. ^ a b "Decorations". Pacific Stars and Stripes. Tokyo, Japan. 1 March 1951. p. 8. Retrieved 7 April 2018 – via Newspaperarchive.com. Free access icon
  4. ^ a b "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JBVB-HMZ : 20 May 2014), Salve H Matheson, 08 Jan 2005; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).(registration required)
  5. ^ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K9C5-QRH : accessed 5 April 2018), Salve Matheson in household of S E Matheson, Councilmanic District 3, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Township, Los Angeles, California, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 60–227, sheet 65A, line 20, family 98, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790–2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 408.(registration required)
  6. ^ a b c d e Martinez, Reynel (1997). Six Silent Men. Presidio Press. pp. 98–99. ISBN 9780804115667. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  7. ^ University of California (1942). Register of the University of California. Vol. II. University of California. p. 39. OCLC 27130928. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  8. ^ Winters, Richard (2006). Beyond Band of Brothers: The Memoirs of Major Dick Winters. United States: Dutton Caliber. ISBN 0425208133.
  9. ^ a b Winters, Richard D.; Kingseed, Cole C. (2006). Beyond Band of Brothers. New York, New York: Berkley Caliber. ISBN 9780425213759. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  10. ^ a b c d e "Salve H. Matheson Collection".
  11. ^ "General Order Number 12" (PDF). We Stand Together – Then, Now, and Always. Headquarters, 506th Parachute Infantry. 15 June 1944. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  12. ^ "General Orders Number 11" (PDF). We Stand Together – Then, Now, and Always. Headquarters, 506th Parachute Infantry. 2 May 1945. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  13. ^ Marshall, S. L. A. (2014). Bastogne – The Story Of The First Eight Days. Pickle Partners Publishing. p. 49. ISBN 9781782892304. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  14. ^ "Grim Battle Sets Built For Movie". The Tampa Tribune. Tampa, Florida. 22 May 1949. p. 58. Retrieved 6 April 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  15. ^ Rivette, Spencer. "Salve H. Matheson Collection". Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  16. ^ "Command Changes". European Stars and Stripes. Darmstadt, Hesse. 8 January 1954. p. 8. Retrieved 7 April 2018 – via Newspaperarchive.com. Free access icon
  17. ^ "Awards and Citations". European Stars and Stripes. Darmstadt, Hesse. 2 October 1955. p. 10. Retrieved 7 April 2018 – via Newspaperarchive.com. Free access icon
  18. ^ a b Hagerman, Bart, ed. (1990). U.S.A. Airborne: 50th Anniversary, 1940–1990. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company. ISBN 9780938021902. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  19. ^ "Armed Forces News". Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph. Colorado Springs, Colorado. 9 December 1965. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  20. ^ "Gen. Matheson in Command of 'Screaming Eagles'". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 30 January 1967. p. 9. Retrieved 5 April 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  21. ^ Shelton, Hugh (2010). Without Hesitation: The Odyssey of an American Warrior. St. Martin's Press. pp. 71. ISBN 978-0312599058.
  22. ^ Williams, Glenn F. (2016). Taking the Offensive, October 1966 – September 1967. CMH Pub 76-4. Washington, DC: Center of Military History, United States Army. p. 58. ISBN 9780160935015. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  23. ^ Tucker, Spencer (2011). The encyclopedia of the Vietnam War : a political, social, and military history. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. p. 1692. ISBN 9781851099603. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  24. ^ "Director Named For Cadet Corps At Fort Monroe". Daily Press. Newport News, Virginia. 23 April 1968. p. 20 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  25. ^ "Steve Tillman Pentagon Post". The Austin American. Austin, Texas. 25 July 1968. p. 6. Retrieved 6 April 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  26. ^ "Matheson Reassigned". Pacific Stars and Stripes. Tokyo, Japan. 9 November 1970. p. 24. Retrieved 7 April 2018 – via Newspaperarchive.com. Free access icon
  27. ^ a b "SALVE H. MATHESON". Legacy.com. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  28. ^ "Weddings and Engagements". Armed Forces Journal. 1947. p. 68. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  29. ^ "Weddings and Engagements". Armed Forces Journal. 1947. p. 70. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  30. ^ a b "Patricia H. Matheson" (PDF). The Carmel Pine Cone. Vol. 103, no. 33. 18 August 2017. p. 26A. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  31. ^ Burial Detail: Matheson, Salve H

Further reading[edit]

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