1ST LIEUT JACK W MATHIS MEDAL OF HONOR MEMORIAL GRAVE STONE

FIRST LIEUTENANT, U.S. ARMY AIR CORPS, 359TH BOMBER SQUADRON, 303D BOMBER GROUP, OVER VEGESACK, GERMANY, 18 MARCH 1943. 1ST LT. MATHIS, AS LEADING BOMBARDIER OF HIS SQUADRON, FLYING THROUGH INTENSE AND ACCURATE ANTI AIRCRAFT FIRE, WAS JUST STARTING HIS BOMB RUN, UPON WHICH THE ENTIRE SQUADRON DEPENDED FOR ACCURATE BOMBING, WHEN HE WAS HIT BY ENEMY ANTI AIRCRAFT FIRE. HIS RIGHT ARM WAS SHATTERED ABOVE THE ELBOW, A LARGE WOUND WAS TORN IN HIS SIDE AND ABDOMEN, AND HE WAS KNOCKED FROM HIS BOMB SIGHT TO THE REAR OF THE BOMBARDIER’S COMPARTMENT. REALIZING THAT THE SUCCESS OF THE MISSION DEPENDED UPON HIM, 1ST LT. MATHIS, BY SHEER DETERMINATION AND WILLPOWER, THOUGH MORTALLY WOUNDED, DRAGGED HIMSELF BACK TO HIS SIGHTS, RELEASED HIS BOMBS, THEN DIED AT HIS POST OF DUTY. AS THE RESULT OF THIS ACTION THE AIRPLANES OF HIS BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON PLACED THEIR BOMBS DIRECTLY UPON THE ASSIGNED TARGET FOR A PERFECT ATTACK AGAINST THE ENEMY. FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY LT. MATHIS WAS AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR.