Meritorious Service Decorations - Military Division
Meritorious Service Medal
Awarded on: 1991-08-30
Invested on: 1992-03-12
As commanding officer of 439 Tactical Fighter Squadron, Lieutenant-Colonel Matthews was tireless in developing a truly multi-role, all-weather, day or night fighter squadron. He led by example, especially in the difficult first weeks of the war, and continued to fly, lead and motivate calmly as repeated air attack warnings increased stress and fatigue among all personnel. Under Lieutenant-Colonel Matthews' outstanding, professional leadership, his squadron performed its missions flawlessly during operations in the Gulf.