The 35th Infantry Regiment Association salutes our fallen brother, PVT Douglas J. Matthews, 14034671, who died in the service of his country on January 10th, 1943 in Guadalcanal. The cause of death was listed as KIA. At the time of his death Douglas was 18 years of age. He was from Benson, North Carolina.

The decorations earned by PVT Douglas J. Matthews include: the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Asiatic-Pacific Service Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal.

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Burial:

Roselawn Cemetery
Benson, Johnston County, North Carolina





(DeMase was the first G Company man wounded and Matthews was the first G Company man killed in Guadalcanal. The problem with the grenades was that the men were accustomed to using ten-second grenades. They usually counted to three before throwing them. One day a supply of three-second grenades arrived and no one informed the men. Thus, they lost two men on their first day of combat at Gifu Strong Point.)

Pvt. Douglas J. "Matthews, Gifu Strong Point, British Solomon Islands, January 11, 1943 (diary date)

"There was fighting going on all night last night. During one battle at 10:30 P.M. (Pvt. Joseph F.) Joe DeMase blew his hand off with a hand grenade. He was lucky that he only lost his hand. He had to stay in his foxhole all night without any medical care except what he and the other boy in the hold could do. (Pvt. Douglas J.) Matthews killed himself with a grenade which rolled back into the hole after he threw it. The other boy with him was also wounded and couldn't get out of the hole until day. There were the only men wounded or killed last night in this company."