James Matteson

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Silver Star Medal (Posthumously) to James Matteson, Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with the 2d Battalion, 2d Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, during combat operations in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, on 11 November 2004, in Iraq. Staff Sergeant Matteson was a scout in the vanguard of the drive to capture Fallujah. On 11 November, 2004, under the cover of darkness, three of Sergeant Matteson’s fellow scouts attacked an insurgent-held structure at a site called Objective Lion. Upon entering the building, all three scouts were hit by gunfire. Sergeant Matteson immediately threw a smoke grenade to provide concealment as he directed the evacuation of the scouts for medical treatment. He then supplied suppression fire allowing his men to launch a counter-attack on the building. The attack collapsed the structure, killing all of the insurgents inside. The next morning Sergeant Matteson was riding atop his MRK-19 grenade launcher, leading his task force, when insurgents ambushed the unit. Matteson jumped from his vehicle and again provided suppression fire, allowing the Bradley Fighting Vehicles and Abrams tanks to take positions and engage the enemy. From his exposed position, Sergeant Matteson continued firing his machine gun until an insurgent rocket cut him down.